Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

[7:41 PM] [FRIDAY]

I’m just hoping for the best here. I want to touch upon my passion, just one more time.

I’ve never done this before, but I have confidence.

"..."

"..maybe. Maybe I have confidence."

Mn, Isn’t that what this song was meant to achieve?

In an ordinary apartment complex, within Shiratori City, an electric guitar strums to full volume. A young man, no older than 16 stands alone in a gray sound-proof room; a single microphone stands in the picture. Eyes are shut, ears absorbing the building instrumentals as the opening to the song commences.

A layered chant booms alongside the band, bellowing the song’s name.

Sampled vocals from this morning layered together into my own chorus. Two weeks of tinkering and experimentation. It’s time to seize the moment.

Eyes shut as can be, I grip the crossbar of the microphone stand.

As the interval clocks into motion, the instrumental suddenly drops to a simple guitar rhythm, as layered clapping and stomping seep into the opening verse. In a burst of accumulated will, I let my voice crash into the air.

In no time, the pieces have fallen into place. Nothing beats the feeling of designing your own destiny.

[=====]

It’s been a month since I’ve transferred to Kivotos for my musical studies. A majority of students worldwide are concentrated in these futuristic academies, and to my dismay, music theory was not standardized in their curriculums. They seemed to be more concerned about the general basics, if anything. Still, it’s a corner of this world that might bring forth fruit.

Since I held no prior affiliation to any of these schools, I’m filed as a homeschooled student in the district’s student records. Kivotos is, to say, an enigmatic place to be. I couldn’t pick my jaw off the ground when I was informed I’d be the only male student present, and frankly, I think this matter has dictated my experience here so far. There’s no way I should justify any reason to get near the schools.

Will say though, this place is downright magical. There’s ivory spires penetrating into the sky across this district, with halos and stars slathering any open space that this city is enveloped by. It all seems to revolve around that student council building with a floating tower, but I’m sure that kind of tech would be the least of my concerns.

All of the students here seem to have their own personal halos, each with their own custom designs. I’ve seen things range from video game hitmarkers to food being represented. I’m not sure how I’d fare knowing my entire identity was labelled in a small, permanent circle over me.

Regardless, the citizens and students seem to be remarkably enthusiastic, which was a stark contrast to my previous highschool. The term “dull” didn’t seem like a discernible concept in this city. There was always something outrageous or mystifying to indulge in, even if it was arson. I guess it would be fair game in a city where guns are as commonplace as phones.

I still think deciding to stay undeclared was a good idea. I genuinely could die in one of these schools without my own magical halo, especially with the fact I’m not even a female student. 

I’ve got free time galore, but no friends quite yet. Well, if I end up getting friends.  The locals are extremely kind though, despite being animals and robots. This school-neutral district is a saving grace, it’s enough to wake up smiling.

I’ve got no complaints about my living space! It’s unusually luxurious, almost like something you’d see from a city with legalized gambling, with these marble countertops and wide glass panes. It’s all paid for by my scholarships, so I should be expecting my education to go swimmingly.

That poor closet though. Everything was ripped down in exchange for the soundproof room.

I hadn’t really thought of writing music before. My former education was just the basics of theory, poetry and lyricism, so we never really exercised what we learned. I’ve always cherished music for the kind of emotions it can evoke, and I hope that eventually I could get somewhere with it.

Honestly? Kivotos is a Shangri-La for that kind of dream.

I might not be too popular, hell I’m not expecting to be, but having a population that devours any new content and media that arrives is enrapturing. At the minimum, I’d like to make a name for myself, though I’ll be keeping my actual identity anonymous. I can’t risk anyone trying to hunt me for being the other gender. These girls can get tenacious; those news stories do not sugarcoat it. The lack of adults definitely yielded an effect on the level of professionalism and quantity of online content.

Later, after obtaining my vocal files and uploading the song to Momotalk, I lay out the final details and reach to upload.

| “GLORY”

• Composer: HYDRA
• Producer: HYDRA
• Performer: HYDRA

[UPLOAD]

Upload.

Upload..

“…"

My index finger hovers over the pink button; frozen in limbo. It’s as if I’ve yet to consider something…

…why am I hesitating now?

I’ve put my soul into this song, even if it’s my first attempt. I thought I was more collected about this.

What if I end up leaving a digital footprint that I can’t erase? This feels like a declaration; a commitment, and it quite literally is.

“…”

“You know what, I’m in a world designed for people to climb to their highest potential.”

“I shall be no different.”

“I can be an undying voice that speaks to everyone.”

“One way or another, I shall awaken a third name.”

“HYDRA”.

[=====]

Man, thinking back on it now, I went a bit overboard with it. It would, and always would’ve been just a song made from a hobby. I’m not some kind of protagonist waiting to seize a moment.

Oh well, glory doesn’t wait for the clock.

[=====]

On a particularly typical day, I crawl out of my bed at the call of the churning sunrise through my windows. My apartment is caressed by the orange hue, and it’s reflecting off my alarm clock with an annoying glare.

“Man.. what time is it?”

The clock reads [6:39 AM] [SATURDAY]. I can barely make out the nine from the glare.

"Mn, good enough. Let’s do something."

Fifteen minutes later, and I’m bright eyed and bushy tailed! Showers are fantastic, mouth’s washed and my chocolate croissant is down the hatch. Might have to worry about my glasses prescription declining later, but I’m sure I’ll figure it out when the time comes.

“How do I look?” I check myself out the body-sized mirror by the door.

Brushed black hair, aqua canary eyes, mildly pale skin, slender but not strong. A black dress-button shirt with gray sweatpants and my cross necklace.

“Good enough! Time for work.”

I promptly walk over to my work desk, which happens to be in front of my bed. A classic personal computer, though white rather than black. Seems that a lot of technology is done in white in this city. Booping the power button, a halo insignia fades away into an onslaught of files, notes and notices.

“I had JUST cleaned this out yesterday..”

I’m ignoring this for now. There’s something more intriguing I want to indulge in.

I shuffle out of my chair and move to the huge adjacent window, overviewing the city and its powerful landscape. Far below at the ground, I see a mixture of interesting sights. Kids with halos, animals standing and wearing clothes, and troops of robots patrolling the sidewalks. I’ve been sightseeing this district daily, and it always seems to amaze me.

From what I could tell, this city’s standards of safety are colossally different from where I once lived. I’ve always observed the students holding firearms, and I’ve even seen C4 paste being sold in an ordinary vending machine. This whole city feels like a war crime sometimes, but maybe they’re just indestructible.

The citizens are equally unusual. Despite their animalistic features, they’re as compassionate as any other human, in most cases more than most humans. They could probably throw an insult or punch too, but I’m comfortable enough to be around them.

And above all, is that enormous tower sitting across the street. That beacon of light penetrates the stars, for all I know. An enormous insignia on its exclave is bolded with the acronym “S.C.H.A.L.E.” I guess they’re important enough to cover several blocks in the city.

“I’ll have the time to check it out when I’m done.”

The next hour is spent drilling away at what remains. All of these assignments about programs and opportunities, I’m probably not going to come around to them. My schoolwork’s finished from the previous week, so I’ve got nothing to deal with. Into the bin it goes.

Next thing I know, it’s [11:17 AM].

“Lunchtime. Let’s go somewhere I’ve never gone to.”

I promptly put on a trusty black cap and a face mask, and locked my apartment door behind me.

Wow, the halls are empty again. Did I really need to worry about noise complaints? I don’t even think anyone else lives here.

Eventually I make my way down to the bottom atrium. The hub is encased with windows, just like my apartment room, and you can already see the brilliant light tearing into every corner of this floor. It’s like this entire city was heavenly bestowed, though it does hurt my eyes a bit.

I step outside into the gale, taking in my surroundings. Feels as if I’m standing precisely where I was looking when I sank my thoughts into that window pane.

“Man, I wish I could just talk to someone about this. It feels exposed out here no matter what I try”

*fwwooooo*

A gust of wind brackets throughout the city, straining the trees like seaweed in a current. I grip onto my hat and clothes, tilting my head forward to keep my face away from the breeze..

…who is that?

My eyes land on an unusually tall figure across the street from me, standing on that enormous tower’s front steps.

I can’t tell if they’re looking at me specifically, or if they too got slapped by the wind.

Ashy brown hair, black top bar glasses, and a gray suit underneath a seemingly royal white coat, embroidered with blue stripes and pockets.

We’re just standing here. Staring at each other. Me, right outside the sliding doors of my secluded apartment, and them, at the top of the steps leading into the skyscraper. Our clothes and hair swept eastward, as the gale swallowed the streets through the gaps between the windowed buildings.

For once, I wasn’t sure if I should wave.. or run.

I can’t quite make out any finer details, my nearsightedness won’t allow it. Still, I can tell something’s different about them. Not like any of the other students, citizens or employees.

“...is that a man?”

..and as if to react to my mind, the streets become noticeably clearer and shaded. A majority of the pedestrians have wandered away, and the wind chills my skin as the light is shunned by a blanket of clouds.

I feel as if I’m encased in a terrarium; a bottled setting strung to life by a rising action.

It’s just me, and him, and I think fate wanted us to meet.

..is this just another story?

Chapter Text

A chill runs down my spine, dramatic and all-consuming.

“...I forgot my wallet…”

My face falls back to a neutral expression at that revelation.

With a sigh, I unceremoniously take a step back and pivot on my feet, reversing myself back into the air-conditioned lobby.

No idea who that person is, but if I end up meeting them again, so be it.

Still, it feels like someone’s glaring holes into my back, even after the sliding doors shut behind me.

Regardless, food needs money. The money calls for me.

[=====]

Fourth floor, fourth floor. Room 418.

I walk back down the same empty hallway I had just come through. My room’s just down the corner to the right, looking like every other brown door in this building.

One minute later, the door is once again locked, as I once again march my way back to the elevator.

“Would ramen or udon be a good pick? I haven’t tried this district’s udon yet, so perhaps I’ll give that a shot.”

I pull out a black phone and scroll through the vicinity’s navigation points, landing at an inconspicuous udon stand about three blocks down.

It ends up not working. The signal icon at the top right’s completely smoked.

“No internet?”

Shouldn’t be a problem I suppose, it’s not like it’s that far. Though out of instinct, I try to scroll through my media while waiting for the elevator.

I am then face to face with another hollow screen.

“Hm, looks like that’s not available either. I guess I’ll use the public network over there, if it’s got one.”

*DING*

The [F] button on the elevator stops glowing orange, and the metal doors in front of me unveil into that same white lobby. I check back at the receptionist table, but it seems to be empty as always.

Does anyone even work here? I’ve been living here for a month, and I’ve yet to contemplate that somehow. Even when I first arrived, nobody was here to greet me, but my name was on the key at the front desk, and I hadn’t thought much of it. Maybe the transit ride just had me winded.

I keep walking forward towards the door, though I keep my head at a lean towards the corner of the room while I’m swimming in my thoughts. Despite the sunlight beaming into the room to hug me, I still feel like there’s some kind of stain on my mind. That kind of itchy thought that you can’t rest from until days or weeks after you eventually forget.

Like if someone left a door open that’s meant to be closed.

The footsteps echo throughout the chamber, my shoes clicking against the glossy tiles with my bag shuffling around my shoulder. Honestly, lonely would be a good way to describe it.

A faint shift in the air, maybe the lightest sound of another step-

*THUD*

“…”

I had been walking forward, but I bumped into something, leaving me scrambling back to reality. My entire state of mind is trashed in that moment, as I swiftly try to identify what happened. Did I hit the door? No, it would’ve hurt if it was the door.

I rear my eyes back in front of me, only to be met with a white tie and a black dress shirt, instead of the Shiratori street.

My face pales for a moment, irises narrowing as my mind instantly connects the dots.

With trepidation, I scroll my head upwards to put a face to the suit, forgetting to update my expression.

???: “Hello.”

His voice is somewhat stern, but it’s got an unusually mature tone. Definitely different from mine, though I genuinely forgot to respond. I feel like I’m staring at something I shouldn’t be, despite it being another person.

They’ve got a neat, well-kept face, and they’re wearing glasses too. They’re looking directly at me, not looking down on me. I can’t seem to stop looking at his steady eyes.

That’s a man, that’s absolutely a man, and he’s right here in my face.

“I..”

My words get swallowed back down into the abysmal embarrassment it came from. I stare back to that same corner, despite being this close to him, lidding my expression.

“..sorry, I wasn’t looking.”

I step to the side of the man, trying to ignore the fact that he most definitely came over here to meet me, as I approach the glass doors behind him to get back to the street I was meant to be walking on already.

Though that’s not happening with the palm that’s on my shoulder.

???: “Hey, wait. I want to ask you something.”

Admittedly, I’m feeling pretty sheepish right now. Honestly, talking to this guy might be harder than getting myself to upload that song the night before. I don’t have time to contemplate the ramifications of this encounter though, he’s waiting for a response.

I rotate myself away from the door to face him again, though now I’m at a socially acceptable distance. That same white coat and gray suit, it just seems to clarify me further.

“I.. sure. What would you like to know?”

I stare at him with a pretty neutral expression. He’s wearing one as well, but it’s the kind of expression that you’d see on someone who’s spoken to people like this before.

???: “I’m sorry. If you’re not comfortable with me, it’s okay. You can continue with your day.”

I’m not sure how to proceed, but at least he seems genuine.

“No, it’s alright, I’ll speak to you.”

He takes my hand off my shoulder and steps back a bit, sheathing his hands into his coat pockets, but keeping his posture straight.

???: “Are you a student?”

I pause for a moment to consider it, but I might as well spill.

“Yes, I am.”

???: “Do you go to school?”

I’m tempted to ask why he wants to know, but I don’t want to dig myself any deeper right now.

“No school. It’s just me, I’m homeschooled.”

I wish I had researched similar students to me. For all I know, I might be the only case of homeschooling in this entire city. I probably look like a living glitch right now. He seemed surprised by the response though, his eyes widened a bit.

???: “You’re.. homeschooled?”

“Yes.”

He seems stunned, trying to determine what to say next. I’m kind of hoping he finds something to say.

???: “Wow, I didn’t know that was possible here.”

…yeah, I should’ve done my research.

Might as well try asking questions now.

“So.. why did you want to meet me?”

As much as I want some custom response, I think we both inherently know why we’re speaking to each other right now.

???: “My answer might be a little weird. Is that alright with you? I promise it’s not as unusual as it is.”

“Don’t worry, I’m listening.”

???: “I’m interested in the fact that you’re a boy.”

Figured.

“I could say the same about you.”

I try to respond in kind, and I think we both know what train we’re riding on right now, like water droplets on a windshield.

???: “You’re aware that it’s kind of rare to be male here?”

“Yeah. As far as I can tell, it’s just girls. Maybe I should be excited about that?”

The man smiles softly at the comment.

???: “Is that why you’re homeschooling?”

“Nope, I just happen to be a transfer student.”

Next thing I know, I’m speaking up more. I’m still not sure if I should be concerned. Am I supposed to know him?

???: “Is it okay if I sit down with you? I’d like to know if we’re on the same page with some subjects and information. I’m thinking you might be out of the general loop.”

Loop? Did I forget something? I’ve been keeping up with my academics just fine, and I haven’t been inflicted with any holds. I guess I have time to burn though, the lunch can wait.

“Sure, I guess I can speak for a bit.”

We take a seat at two corner sofas in the corner of the lobby, with the light reflecting off of the glass tables. The seats are fairly low towards the floor, so it almost feels like I’m laying down.

The man folds his hands onto his lap, giving me his undivided attention.

???: “If you don’t mind, I should probably introduce myself.”

I’m not sure what to expect, but it wouldn’t hurt to get to know someone.

Sensei: “It’s a pleasure to meet you, I’m known as Sensei. I’m a student advisor and teacher for Kivotos, and I’m in charge of the S.C.H.A.L.E. clubroom tower outside.”

His expression opens up with his formal greeting. I can tell by his voice that he’s said this phrase to an incomputable extent.

I peek outside again to look at the colossal skyscraper I’ve been looking at throughout my time here. It feels different, maybe since now there’s a face to the name.

I guess it would be appropriate to respond in kind.

“My name’s Alexis Solita. I transferred to Kivotos a month ago, and I don’t know much beyond my living space. It’s nice to meet you too.”

The overbearing shade that was holding my head seemed to dissipate after that sentence. I didn’t think it’d be this easy to break the ice.

Sensei: “Alexis..”

He contemplates the name for a moment, as if he’s acknowledging the name of a male student for the first time. Arguably, it might’ve been a bit suspicious.

“Yes, that is me.”

Sensei: “Sorry if I’m out of it, it’s been some time since I’ve met a new student. I’ve never actually spoken to a male student yet.”

Really? I thought people transferred around here all of the time. I guess our encounter earlier was just by sheer coincidence. I guess he’s fairly familiar with the people here.

“It’s.. a pleasure to be your first, I guess. Would it be safe to say you’re fairly important in this district?”

Sensei: “Yes, that’s correct. I’ve been guiding students in both this district and the city’s schools for as long as I’ve been here. It’s actually why I’m employed here.”

His expression and voice brightens up at the thought, elevating from the awkward encounter earlier.

“Are there other teachers like you in Kivotos? Surely there is.”

He chuckles lightly and tilts his head.

Sensei: “If you believe me, well no actually. It’s just me.”

A single teacher in charge of an entire city’s worth of students. That has to be the most ludicrous thing I’ve seen yet, and that’s including the guns and halos.

“...how do you manage? That can’t be normal, not in any picture.”

Sensei: “Paperwork. Diligence. And…well, some prayers. Not always in that order.”

“Yeah.. that checks out.”

Sensei: “Despite that, I couldn’t be more pleased to be the teacher of Kivotos. It’s pretty rough at times, but this has to be my most treasured opportunity. The memories I’ve developed here are priceless, even if they’re equally measured in labor.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, why would a teacher need a building like that ?”

Sensei: “Honestly, I’m not so sure either. SCHALE is an independent federal investigation club, so my duties and authority are autonomous across the city. Still, tower or not, I am a mentor through and through.”

“Federal investigation, that’s certainly a name for a school club.”

Sensei: “Trust me, you get used to that dynamic after a while.”

I hadn’t noticed this before, but it seems that the activity on the streets has picked back up. Traffic’s steamrolling through the paved streets, and I hear chatter outside on the sidewalk as people move around my apartment. It’s like the world had unpaused.

“So, if I’m getting this straight, you’re an exceptionally important authority in Kivotos. You’re a teacher, a student advisor, and an enforcer, but by doing so, you’ve become personally acquainted with the student bodies.”

Sensei: “Nail on the head. It’s weird hearing these ideas explicitly for once, but it’s accurate.”

I narrow my eyes towards him.

“..and you’re interested in me, because I am the first male student you’ve encountered?”

Sensei: “Correct. I couldn’t ignore what I saw earlier. It’s important to know how the city’s students are doing.”

“Well, I can assure you I’m doing just fine so far. I assume it’s never NOT weird for new arrivals, but everyone seems to be well versed with this city’s niches and quirks. I’m sure I’ll be drawn on that line too, eventually.”

Sensei: “If there’s anything you’d like to know, I can certainly talk to you about it. Though be warned, even I’m not sure of some of the finer details.”

I sink back into the same mindspace as this morning, desecrating the thoughts that I suppressed earlier.

“Oh.. where do I even begin? The halos, the citizens, the tanks? Maybe even the beacons of light? There’s probably more to that picture, but I haven’t dared to step beyond the city of Shiratori.”

Sensei: “Yeah, that would make sense. I’m not sure how the other schools would react to you, but I can assure you that the students here are exceptional. I haven’t met anyone truly malicious, they’re young after all. The halos, on the other hand, that’s a signature aspect of Kivotos. Both students and areas have their own halos, and for the students in particular, it makes them effectively unstoppable. Guns don’t leave much other than scratches here, and even explosives would simply leave them dazed. It would be reasonable to see it as if militaries were integrated into highschools. The schools even have their own.. designated disciplinary groups, I should say, since these students regulate themselves with the lack of adult authority. Will say though, I have no idea where these halos come from. They’re as anomalous as a transfer student.”

Kids riding around with tanks and blasting each other on the daily. That’s certainly a picture, though I don’t blame them for dipping their hands into weapons like that, considering the effect halos have on their lives. Still, they use these firearms on each other because they know they can’t be harmed gravely.

“Should I be concerned about that? I don’t have a halo of my own. Maybe I’ll get shredded out there.”

Sensei’s expression sinks back into thought, though I can sense his concern. It’s like he’s searching through his memories of instances where my question was applicable. I think he’s spent quite some time as a teacher, so he’s probably seen some things happen.

Sensei: “Yes, you should, actually. It’s upsetting to admit it, but this immunity only exists for the female students. You and I are likely exceptions. Those guns will do what guns do if they’re ever pointed at us.”

Dying on the streets of Kivotos, that’s a picture I’ve imagined before. Shiratori City isn’t particularly violent, but it’s obvious that these schools have their own warfare to deal with.

“In other words, I should stay away. I could easily get hurt out there due to miscommunication or misinterpretation.”

Sensei: “If you ever wish to integrate into these schools at some point, I can make that happen. I know risks can be a bit high, but I trust my students enough to be welcoming and grounded. I want to be someone you can depend on, as your teacher.”

“Really? You can?”

Sensei: “Of course, I’d love to get you acquainted with everyone else. That’s the thrill behind my position! I should also clarify that, despite what it seems on the surface, gun usage has actually been somewhat reduced recently. An incident had occurred two months ago, and it left Kivotos stunned. I’d argue that we’re kind of in a stasis, where nobody really wants to try and hurt each other right now, and I think it will stay that way. I’d put my luck on the idea that people would be hesitant to do anything harmful to you, even if they didn’t know you.”

This man could be my ticket. He’s probably as powerful and influential as he says he is, and it’s clear that he’s compassionate about his job. Under that big fancy title though, he seems like the guy who views his life beyond his power. Truly sincere, I think I can say. I might be able to trust him in that regard.

I look back at him with a brighter expression. I think I’m starting to warm up to him, and hopefully it stays that way.

“I’m going to be honest, I haven’t been too sure what to do since I’ve gotten here. I’m getting around fine on my own, but I have my uncertainties. If you’re kind enough, I’d gladly take an opportunity to explore beyond the city.”

Sensei brightens up at the response as well, linking up to my wavelength.

Sensei: “I promise you, whatever desires you wish for, I shall do my best to fulfill them as your teacher. You can count on me.”

“That’s greatly appreciated. I’m actually thankful.”

He smiles towards me with a collected happiness, as if he’s feeling something he hasn’t felt in a while. Looking back on it now, he looks completely different from when I first saw him across the street, or even when I bumped into him at the door. We were both peculiar about each other, but it seems that the wall has fallen.

“Hm, I guess I should get used to calling you Sensei, huh?”

Sensei laughs at that remark, the damp tension from a few minutes ago completely evaporating under the glaring light.

“I’d be honored, Alexis.”

He extends his hand to me across the small table between our seats, and I seize it with fervor. Oddly enough, it’s got a grip and texture that’s comforting. Perhaps it’s simply been a while since I’ve got to bond with someone like this.

Unexpectedly, he starts vibrating with excitement after we release the handshake. I can see his excitement practically boiling up through his body to his face.

“Say, would you like to continue this discussion in the SCHALE Tower? I could address some topics with you there, and we could even investigate an activity for you to do today. I’d also like to get to know you better, Alexis! I’m especially interested in you.”

Woah, that’s an offer. Well, I can’t argue against being able to visit the most impressive location in the city, and with its owner practically gleaming with anticipation over bringing me there. Hell, I think I’d genuinely have a good time, even with less than an hour of experience with each other.

It’s another male, another male in Kivotos, and my teacher at that! If there’s anyone I could connect with in this city, I’d want it to be the influential neighbor in the shiny tower. As much as I’d want to evaluate stranger-danger and all of that, I don’t think you’d want to use a location like that for any machinations. Besides, his claim about his students knowing him is pretty much irrefutable, unless he’s insane.

Honestly, maybe nothing surprises me anymore about this city. Still, I could totally get a kick from this.

“I shall gladly accept that offer! I’m stoked by the opportunity, and I’m happy you reached out to me, though I should apologize for bumping into you earlier.”

Sensei: “Hey, don’t be. It was my fault for deciding to roll up on you like that anyways. I couldn’t think of any other way to meet you, especially with the kind of predicament you’d be in as a male student. Admittedly though, I assumed that it would be somewhat difficult, judging by what I’ve learned.”

“Well, at least in the future we won’t need to stare at each other anymore. Did you notice the atmosphere change too?”

Sensei: “Oh, I know exactly what you’re referring to. Maybe we came to the same epiphany.”

Thinking back on that moment now, it really did feel like we were meant to meet at that moment. I’m not sure how things would’ve gone if he decided to not reach out, though I guess I’d be the same as always. Still, it’s the first time anyone has personally come to me for an interaction, so perhaps I should savor it.

Sensei: “Hey, let me provide you with my Momotalk contact. If you ever want anything from me, I’ll be right there at the click of a button.”

“Sure, I’ll let you handle it.”

I hand over my phone to him, and he hastily burns his number into my system.

“Alright, it’s in. Would you like to go now?”

As much as I would like to say yes, I can’t forget about why I’m even out here.

“Not yet, actually. I was actually going to try eating somewhere. I’m still trying to map out this district.”

Sensei: “You know what, I think I know a great place. Would you be up for taking my recommendation?”

He’d probably know a place better than whatever I could come up with right now.

“Sounds great. I’ll let you take the lead.”

Sensei: “Lovely.”

He pinches his phone out of his coat pocket and quickly dials a number. We get up from the seats and walk back outside to the sidewalk, waiting at the block corner for something to arrive. He’s looking around the intersection alongside me. It’ll likely be a ride.

Sure enough, eventually a flat black van rolls up to the block, and he escorts me into the passenger seat with him. The interior is gray as well, but I can tell he’s been in this car quite a few times. To my interest however, is the fact that the driver is definitely a robot. A pill-shaped head with a sharp blue suit, he turns his polyhedric head towards the back with blue digital eyes for a face.

Driver: “Alright Sensei, where to?”

The robot doesn’t seem to be too concerned about me. He’s used to following orders without concerning himself with the details, like an uber. Despite that however, I can tell it’s got a personality of its own, and I think I should treat them like a person too. The citizens of Kivotos might look weird, but inherently they’re people too.

Sensei: “Today? We’re heading to the District of Abydos. Drop me off at the central crossing.”

Abydos it is. I wonder what’s so special about it?

Chapter Text

[12:40 PM]

Sensei: “Sorry about the wait, the place I’m thinking of is over an hour away. I promise you, it’s worth every second.”

Honestly, even with how nice he’s been, I can’t shake off what I’ve been looking at.

Sand. Endless, amber sand. I’m seeing buildings that have been long devoured by the dunes, and houses so dusty they’d cough. The clouds aren’t as visible anymore either, as I stare into the back window where the clouds have stayed behind to hover over the blue city. It’s a lone highway with minimal cars, though up ahead I do see a district that seems like a smaller version of Shiratori.

“..you have interesting taste, Sensei.”

Sensei: “Hey, I’m telling you, this is going to be worth it! Just don’t mind the desertification, I know it’s hard to ignore. Abydos has quite a history, just like every other school in Kivotos.”

“Does every school have their own local district?”

Sensei: “That’s a good way to put it. You’d normally expect the schools to be housed within districts, but in this case, you could consider the schools to be the nuclei of their respective districts. The urban sprawl and suburban zones orient themselves around their local schools, as the students are the central focus behind each district’s existence. There’s a few neutral exceptions, such as Shiratori City, but within these districts is where you’ll find a majority of the student bodies.”

“Well, Kivotos is certainly called Academy City for a reason. The seemingly infinite span of districts and students would definitely support that argument.”

Sensei: “You’ve picked up on this fast, Alexis.”

“You could say this information's pretty long due.”

Sensei: “Indeed. Shiratori City is one of Kivotos’s highest esteemed districts, as it houses the city’s two federal authorities. One, being the club I run; SCHALE, and the other being the General Student Council; the de jure entity that governs everything. You can consider my presence as either an extension of the GSC, or as an independent entity that’s closely related to it.”

“I guess whoever governed my transfer had assigned me right into the heart of Kivotos. That gigantic floating building on the other side of Shiratori is the tower that the GSC is in, I assume.”

Sensei: “Correct, it’s known as the Sanctum Tower. No one’s sure when it first existed, but for most of the city’s conceivable history, that is where the political power is purest.”

“That’s interesting.”

So, that’s where I live. D.U. Shiratori is a neutral city independent of any school, since it turns out it’s a place oriented around the two entities more important than the schools themselves. No wonder why the architectural standards seem to be superb.

I can ponder about that later. There’s another itch to scratch.

Sensei: “Say, would you like me to explain Abydos while we’re out here?”

With how things are turning out, I don’t think even a ballpark guess about it would be acceptable. I desperately need context for why the region collapsed so terrifically compared to Shiratori.

“Hit me.”

Sensei: “Right. Despite how it may seem, Abydos High School is actually the longest standing school in Kivotos, though you can tell that it’s a crusted shell of its former self. The sand you’re seeing here is actually quite unnatural, and the school hasn’t been able to recover since it occurred. Poor management within the school’s former council led to colossal losses of property and financial stability, and now all that remains is a minor annex housing the main campus itself. The city oriented around Abydos is independent of the school’s disparity at least, though the students are working excessively hard to bring forth fruit again.”

“Resilience is always a spectacle.”

Sensei: “Oh, you wouldn’t believe what those kids had to endure to protect their school. The corporate entities leaching off of this city would make for better vultures in this desert, especially Kaiser. Still, the school resists the sunken cost fallacy, and I’ve helped to ensure they affirm their holds.”

“Taking advantage of students is a damn shame, though I guess in Kivotos, being an adult isn’t part of the equation when it comes to major decisions.”

Sensei: “All we can hope for now are miracles. It’s a good thing Kivotos is known for that.”

We continue to discuss the matter of Abydos for another half-hour. It’s unbelievable how much history this school has, and I couldn’t believe anything after he mentioned how another school’s annihilatory weapon ended up on this school’s territory. Their continued presence here was absolutely a miracle, and to have five students at the epicenter of such hardship.

FIVE! The fate of this school’s legacy rests on five students, all around my age. I can’t even imagine how other students could be faring with their lives, compared to what Abydos has survived. It was certainly good that they’ve been able to get some rest after the apparent Kivotos-wide incident two months ago. I tried to ask Sensei more about that, but he was extremely hesitant. Perhaps it’s simply a tough topic.

A cataclysm capable of bringing all of Kivotos to its knees. I wouldn’t even know where to begin either, though I guess in hindsight this isn’t something I need to learn about yet. All I should know is that it’s quite fortunate I came to Kivotos during this grace period, and I should rejoice under such fortune.

I trust Sensei’s word about it being unlikely to happen again. Something could happen in the future, but for now Kivotos is at peace. It’s been at peace for two months now, and there’s countermeasures in place to better fare such calamities for the foreseeable future.

Though right now, my stomach and my brain aren’t cooperating. One’s hungry for sustenance, and the other isn’t.

This is going to be a long ride..

[=====]

[1:39 PM] [DISTRICT OF ABYDOS]

There’s no way I can tell Sensei this, but I think I might pass out from famine. It’s been almost 3 hours since I declared lunch, but I think we’ve finally reached a stop. After a long time, the driver finally speaks again.

Driver: “Alright, we’re here. Do you plan on staying here for the night, Sensei?”

Sensei: “No, we’ll be returning to Shiratori once we’re done here. If you can, expect us back after the sun’s out.”

Driver: “Roger that. I’ll be on standby in the district.”

With that, we depart from the van onto the local sidewalk at a game center on the block, and I watch the car roll down the street out of view. Staring back in front of me, I get to witness Abydos in its earnestness.

It’s a sight to behold to say the least. The downtown of this city is shockingly clean, just like Shiratori. There’s signs all over the buildings, and they’ve all got their own architecture too. Advertisements are splayed over several surfaces on every block, and the bricked sidewalks are completely devoid of entropy. In the distance, between the buildings and the overwhelming desert, I can still see the brilliant beacon coming from the GSC building at Shiratori.

“Wow, look, we’re quite some ways from home.”

I point between the buildings at the light shooting into the sky a couple dozen miles away.

Sensei: “No matter where you are, you’ll see that building shine. A heart indeed.”

Contrary to the sandy outskirts, the wind here is definitely stronger than it was when I first saw Sensei. The green trees latched into the concrete sway with grace, and I had to shield my eyes a bit to gaze beyond the district. 

Still, I can see someone living here and being proud of calling it home. It is a beautiful city.

Sensei: “Alright, the place we’re looking for is not far at all. Are you up for a short walk?”

“Oh, you bet I am.”

I walk on Sensei’s right side as we bend through the streets downtown, as I continue to observe my surroundings and the everlasting labels on the streets. The civilians appear to be similar back in Shiratori, so it could be safe to assume they’ll be similar everywhere. This time however, I can study the public for what they truly are, rather than what they seem.

There’s businessmen, families, children, and soldiers. Everyone out here has an agenda, and they move through the streets in continuous traffic. I see locals talking to each other outside of shops, people scrolling through merchandise and staring at glass products, and flyers being sparsely handed out to pedestrians. It’s amazing being able to humanize these people more, it's so much more alive with these new eyes.

Eventually, we make a right turn onto a street that’s bordering a grassy park, and on the sidewalk in front of me, I can see a lonely stall that’s perched at the center of the block. There’s not too many people here, but I’m pretty sure this is what Sensei’s been anticipating. 

As we got closer, I noticed two things. 

First things first, the heavenly smell of boiling ramen. In slow, curling tendrils, I can smell the scent of rich meat and simmered pork bones. The aroma wraps around me and embraces my stomach, stirring my hunger to oblivion.

Second, would be the standing Shiba Inu dog that’s cooking the masterpiece I’m smelling right now. They’re wearing a white bandana with a blue shitagi, and a distinctively white apron. By the time we get to the stand’s porch, I can see two scars upon their face, and the logo embroidered onto his attire. Looks like he’s smoking a brown pipe with it.

???: “Sensei! Welcome back to my humble abode.”

Sensei: “Master Shiba, I’ve come with company!”

The canine, now identified as Master Shiba, puts his paws onto the front porch to peek out, noticing me standing idly to the side of the stall.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Master Shiba. I’m Alexis.”

I gently bring my face down into a minor bow, closing my eyes with my greeting. It’s a respectful gesture I habituated.

Shiba: “Nice to meet you too, young man. Looks like you’ve finally found yourself a student on your level, Sensei. Bet you want to make a first impression out here, are we?”

He jokingly gestures at the one discernible commonality between the two of us.

Sensei: “Well, I’m sure you can do just that. Let’s get some food in that stomach. Don’t worry about the bill, Alexis.”

Alexis: “Well, don’t mind if I do then.”

I walk up to the stall and sit down on an elevated stool at the far right of the stall. There’s about seven other seats on this seating array, but I didn’t bother picking one. Master Shiba triumphantly puts his paws on his hips, and awaits an order.

Sensei: “For now, let’s go with two bowls. If you want more, you can get seconds. I’m hungry too, so let’s kill some birds with one stone.”

Master Shiba nods of approval, and immediately hatches to his equipment to prepare the meals. Sensei sits two seats down from me, probably to give me space.

I’m only noticing now how drenched my pants are, as the sweat accumulating under my shirt has finally crawled into a puddle. With how windy it was on the way here, I hadn’t noticed the heat that’s been swallowing me whole since I left the car. It’s a desert, Alexis! Did you not think to change before coming here?

I look over at Sensei out of curiosity about my predicament. Yeah, turns out he wasn’t so ahead of it either. His gray suit is sticking to his skin in some places, and he’s tied his coat around his waist like an inventoried hoodie. He glances over at me, probably noticing my mild discomfort.

SenseI: “Hot?”

“Oh, it’s hot.”

I responded with a pinch of sass. We both face forward again, but there’s a cheek-wide grin on both of our sweaty faces. At this moment, the smell’s simply too strong for  any other senses to be relevant.

After about five minutes, two bowls are distributed at the table, one for each of us. Master Shiba briefly sheds the bandana, wiping some sweat off his brow after delivering the food. Despite that, he’s still got the same prideful voice.

Shiba: “Shiba Seki Ramen. Say that five times fast!”

Sensei: “Shi-ba Se-ki Ramen, Shi-ba Se-ki Ramen, Shi-ka Se-ba Raaab~..., d-dang it!”

Master Shiba and Sensei chuckle humorously at the graceless attempt. Looks like he’s tried it a few times before.

Internally I tried, and then proceeded to fall apart after the second round. I can not afford the loss of social dignity, so I keep my embarrassment pressed between my lips.

I turn back to the bowl in front of me.

God, it’s tantalizing .

The broth and the pork are golden brown, it’s so thick I can’t see into it beyond its glistening surface. The egg is cut and crusted immaculately, with seaweed and onions trussed across the bowl. 

The taste of glory in a red bowl.

…and in twenty seconds, the entire thing is gone. Every last organic piece of matter in this package is now swimming in my stomach, licked clean off of the walls. I’m breathing heavily after inhaling the bowl in record time, satisfied beyond belief.

Shiba: “…Sensei, did you starve this kid?”

Sensei: “I.. -what? No! Well, maybe. Depends on how you define it.”

Shiba: “He just ate 700 yen in the time it took for you to break your chopsticks.”

Sensei: “Hey, I specifically came all the way out here to feed him! I wasn’t going to have him eat Shiratori food forever!”

Shiba: “Trust me, I’m flattered you think of me so highly, but come on!”

“..can I get seconds?”

Shiba: “...”

Sensei: “...”

“...”

Ten minutes later, there were four bowls stacked against the stall post. They were so spotless, they wouldn’t need to be washed.

“Thank you. Good lord, thank you. I’ve never had ramen this good before, hell I’ve never had FOOD this good before.”

I’m so happy I could start crying, but I hold back my dignity. It’s the best thing I’ve eaten since I’ve gotten here, and the feeling of breaking the monotony of eating out locally is unparalleled. Maybe I’ve just been starved of having lively cooked meals for once.

Shiba stares at me with his ears crestfallen, rapidly switching his gaze between me and Sensei. His jaw’s on the floor, and it’s not going back up.

Shiba: “I don’t care what you tell me. You set this up.”

Sensei: “And I’ll say this another ten times, I did not! Maybe he just really likes your food!”

“He’s not wrong. I’d gladly come back here, even with the two hour ride.

Shiba: “Well, you’re still paying for it, right Sensei?”

Sensei: “Right on the money..”

Sensei pulls out a black wallet and places two bills on the porch. Doesn’t seem like Master Shiba’s got a cash register, he just pockets it like a champion.

“..now what? I’m stuffed.”

Sensei: “Now what? Now I need to eat! You ate so fast, I forgot to!”

Shiba: “Don’t you dare leave my food to chill, Sensei!”

Sensei: “I know, I know!”

The teacher proceeds to eat ferociously, under the intense glare of the cook’s black pebbled eyes. They definitely have a history. Not so sure if I should ask about it.

Though as I ponder that statement, I start hearing a cluster of faint footsteps walking down the pathway we came from. Turning my gaze to my right, though keeping myself facing forward, I see a few girls coming down this way. They’re all holding guns and equipment, and I can hear their laughter growing as they march closer to the stall.

I’m honestly kind of scared. I don’t know what to expect, they’ve got an aura to them that screams uncertainty and mischief, but I can’t align my suspicions. 

The girl in the office attire has a huge smile on her face with her eyes shut, as if she’s being recorded by some grandiose cutscene. 

Another girl with a huge duffel bag is squinting towards the stall with impish eyes, and another girl with scruffy purple hair is clutching onto a shotgun like it was her mother’s leg. 

On the far right of the group is a girl with black and white hair, and she seems to be fairly unphased by the antics of the other three.

I feel like I have to act as a reactionary measure. I’ve never been this close to the female students before, and I’m absolutely not ready to gamble on it.

“Sensei, there’s company. I want to move.”

I hurriedly scootch over to his side while he’s eating, frantically wanting to evacuate from the encounter. My voice is fairly urgent, and he looks out to see who I’m talking about. He’s on edge as well now, but I can’t tell if it’s because of me, or the girls, or perhaps a combo of both. Either way, he gives me reassurance instead of a leading action.

“Alright hey, don’t worry about this. They’re students I know, and I promise you wholeheartedly that they’re nice. Allow me to handle it, you can stay here.”

With trepidation, I fold my hands on the stall and face forward towards the oven in front of me, keeping my face low so my hat shrouds my expression. I really don’t want to be acknowledged by them, but I trust Sensei will divert my worries. Master Shiba doesn’t seem too phased by the girls though, so perhaps they’re just regulars.

???: “Yo, Sensei! You’re here too!”

The red-head struts forward with an elegant grace, holding a wide smirk as she looks down upon the teacher. She’s definitely the leader of this group.

Sensei: “Well, if it isn’t Rikuhachima Aru, the great outlaw of Problem Solver 68!”

He responds with sass, as he’s certainly familiar with her. He’s got a huge smile on his face.

Aru: “We’re here for a bowl, Master Shiba! I promise you, we’ve got the deeds!”

Shiba: “Oh, do you now! No need for freebies again?”

Aru: “Nope! We’re better than that!”

Shiba: “Your track record says otherwise, young woman!”

Aru: “Heeeeey, you know I’m sorryyyy! I know what we did before was bad, well REALLY bad, but- I-I thought you looked beyond that!”

Shiba: “No no, it’s fine. You know that I’m not the kind of person to hold grudges. You girls are as welcome here as everyone else.”

Aru visibly sighs of relief from hearing that statement, her mood completely on display like a walking teleprompter. Her complexion is like a glass cannon, if I were to say so myself.

The purple girl looks away with a quivering face, repeatedly muttering to herself while clutching onto her shotgun. The girl with the bag isn’t paying attention to her, but she does giggle at the exchange of apologies.

Aru: “Well, if you don’t mind, let’s order something guys. Remember to put your stuff away.”

???: “Roger that, boss!”

???: “Yes, Aru-sama!”

???: “Of course..”

I hear the shuffling of seats on my left, close enough to feel the vibrations of the stools firing up into my own seat. I decided to look somewhere other than the tabletop.

Looks like the red-head and the shotgun girl are sitting by Sensei’s left, with the impish and the monochromatic girl on Sensei’s right. I happen to be sitting right next to the black and white haired girl in particular. 

I can see up close that she’s got black-pearled earrings and red-striped black horns, with a layered pentagonal gray halo. Her maroon eyes remain locked on the phone in front of her, though unlike Sensei and I, she keeps her black hoodie on. She’s got a pair of black earbuds worn, with a wire connecting to her charging port. Under her plaid red skirt is a singular ribbon wing that dangles behind my stool.

It’s only when she says something that I realize I’ve been staring unceremoniously.

???: “Hey.”

And just like with Sensei before, I slowly shifted my gaze to her face. Her eyes are no longer on her phone. Now they’re on me.

“Hey.”

Though this time, I’m not as flustered. I don’t want to repeat what I did the first time.

???: “I’ve never seen you before. Are you a student?”

“Yes, I am a student.”

The other girls don’t seem to be concerned about our exchange.

The girl eyes me up and down like I did with her with a side-eye, mapping out my attire in one fell gaze. Her eyes lid gently as she ponders what to tell me.

???: “..are you a boy?”

I.. should've expected that honestly. There was no way I could’ve kept it hidden, even if I wanted to. Still having that question thrown at me is like lumping a hunk of coal down my trachea, and I hesitate for a moment to respond. Still, it’s not good to withhold the obvious.

“..Yes. I am a boy.”

Unexpectedly, she smiles a little bit at the response, staring at me with the same lidded eyes.

???: “That’s not very common, you know that right? Are you new here?”

She doesn’t seem to be teasing or bold like with the other girls in the group. She’s like that senior who’s just tired of everything chaotic around them, finding pleasure in their own pocket of the world. If anything, I think she’s the one person I could talk to without being thrown into a wormhole.

“I transferred here a month ago. I’m a second-year student, though I’m homeschooled.”

???: “ Homeschooled? That’s new.”

“I suppose so-”

A chime of a bell halts everyone’s chatter, as four bowls are dished across the wooden tabletop, though this time to the new guests. The girl immediately faces forward to observe the meal’s release.

The other three girls seem to be staring in awe at the spectacle of food in front of them, just like I had. They’re probably regulars, but I don’t blame them for having the same reaction to these bowls. It’s simply that undeniably mesmerizing.

Regardless, as the other three girls start eating their fill, the girl adjacent to me faces back towards me, as if I was too in her corner of the world.

???: “What’s your name?”

“Alexis Solita, first name Alexis. It’s nice to meet you.”

She perks up at my name being uttered. Perhaps she’s not used to hearing a boy say their name, like how Sensei had reacted.

Kayoko: “Onikata Kayoko, you can call me Kayoko. It’s nice to meet you too.”

And on that note, she breaks the conversation to begin eating her bowl. She’s not particularly excited about it, but she still eats warmly and with care. You can’t go wrong with good food, after all.

???: “Mutsuki, y-you’re already done?” The purple girl shyly murmurs.

Mutsuki: “Hee-hee, yes I am! This ramen doesn’t get old! Come on Haruka, you gotta eat!”

Haruka: “S-Sorry! I-I’ll eat right now! I’m sorry!”

She tearfully but happily starts to gently eat the surface of the bowl. Her self esteem might be at bedrock, but even people like her can find friends. I’m satisfied, knowing that kind of support exists in Kivotos. Well, I do know their names now at least.

Sensei: “Haruka, you know you don’t have to apologize. Just eat, okay?”

Sensei puts a palm on the girl’s head, gently rubbing her hair to calm her down. She looks up timidly at her teacher with acknowledgment.

Haruka: “I-If it’s for you, I’ll eat!”

And with that, she starts eating with more energy.

Seems that the students really do look up to Sensei.

[=====]

A few minutes later, and now the entire table top is lined up with empty bowls. Happy faces all around.

Mutsuki: “Phew, thanks Master Shiba! You’re the man!”

Shiba: “My food’s not as explosive as you, but I’ll take the compliment!”

Mutsuki: “Kufufu~”

She giggles again at the comment. Looks like she’s very keenly aware of her behavior, though I’m not sure what he means by “explosive”.

Haruka: “T-Thank you, M-Master Shiba! I will cherish this meal for the rest of my life!”

Aru: “It’s as amazing as always, Master Shiba. Here’s the bill, as I promised.”

Sensei seems to be revelling in the rain of compliments being directed at Master Shiba. Despite all of the praise, he’s still triumphantly laughing in his stall, pridefully riding the hype. Seeing a dog laugh is an intriguing sight.

Though, that’s not the central matter of concern right now, as Kayoko’s once again looking at me with a prepped question.

Kayoko: “You really don’t belong to any schools, do you Alexis?”

“Nope, it’s just me and my apartment in Shiratori City. Sensei brought me out here, I actually met him today. Awesome teacher, I can see the appeal.”

Kayoko: “Oh, he’s way more than a teacher to us. Sensei’s invaluable to all of us, we can always count on him when we’ve fallen. He might be the only man in Kivotos, but he’s an astounding one at that.”

“I must learn of his greatness someday.”

Kayoko: “Hehe, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. Everyone’s got a story to share about him.”

I’m actually conversing with a girl, and enjoying it! I feel like I should be more stoked about it, but I can’t seem to generate any feelings beyond being relieved. I’m doing the bare minimum as a student, and I couldn’t be happier. She’s remarkably laid-back with her attitude, but she’s got a mature aura that resonates amongst her friends. A very down to earth girl, and I can’t complain about that.

The conversation suddenly breaks again as her phone shifts images, which I could assume to be her music playlist. I can’t quite make out what’s playing on her phone due to the angle I’m sitting at, but she visibly widens her eyes and smiles with an open mouth. The music swims into her ears through the cord, and her body moves with a fervor I hadn’t witnessed from her before.

Kayoko: “Hey, do you want to hear this new song that was released? I added it to my playlist recently, and I can’t help but get a burst of energy when I listen to it. It’s not like the usual music I listen to, but it’s captivating to indulge in. I don’t have the will to cycle it out, it’s simply fantastic. It’s about halfway through, but the quality doesn’t drop.”

“Sure, I wouldn’t mind.”

She nudges closer to my seat and pulls out the earplug from her right ear, pinching it with delicate hands and holding it out for me. I promptly collect it and insert it into my right ear, the chord stretching across my lap. As the earplug approaches my ear, I can hear the music amplifying in volume as my eardrum reacts, but for some reason, my stomach’s getting an unusual reaction to the noise. It’s not hungry, per se, but it’s different.

I can only describe it as like butterflies. Butterflies that flutter endlessly, writhing around in my flesh until their carcasses wither and drop.

It’s an enrapturing beat, one I’m familiar with, but I can’t help but acknowledge a potent issue with this soundtrack.

The clapping and stomping bracketing the background, the deep guitar riffs and percussion ripping into the listener’s heart, and the potent mid-toned vocals echoing from the soul of the singer. I can’t bring myself to call it a good song, but not because I have any reasonable complaints.

These instrumentals, these vocals, this production, the filtering, EVERYTHING!

That's me. That voice, these instrumentals, the production and filtering, it's all ME!

Every note, every instrumental choice, and every syllable, conglomerated into a systematic artwork. I can’t help but feel warm and cold at once, as my body fights for what is of priority with these circumstances. I don’t know if I should feel ecstatic or terrified.

Oh my god, why, why, WHY!! WHY! WHAT? WHY! WHAT AM I DOING? WHAT IS HAPPENING!?!

WHAT DO I DO!? WHAT WOULD ANYONE DO!?

WHY IS IT STILL PLAYING? STOP PLAYING!!

The song is supposed to be motivational, but every recorded syllable equates to another spade-full of soil as I continuously dig my composure into the grave.

I desperately look over at her. She has absolutely no idea, she’s still lightly nodding to the beat as the lyrics scroll through the timeline. I can’t shake off the idea that she’s listening to poison I conjured, but I don’t have it in me to deprecate my own work.

I’m so tempted to just scream out of panic, but this girl gently listening to my music will not allow such a sin to occur.

I suddenly don’t know where to rest my hands, as I can’t just pull out the earplug and stop listening altogether. It would be discourteous to her. It’s auditory torture, listening to my own work in an environment that is definitely NOT familiar to me. I feel my heartbeat soaring into overtime as my lips press together desperately, trying to suppress the sudden vibrations that threaten to nonconsensually quake up my spine.

I can’t take this anymore, I’m going to die. This WILL kill me, I was NOT built for this. I can’t take another second of this, please just end me, right now.

Oh my God, it won't stop singing. I'm actually going to implode, this is not a joke. STOP GETTING SO INTO IT, HELP ME!!!

The heat, the wind, the hunger, everything pales in comparison to this. I'm going to melt from the inside out, as if I'm casting myself to death with my own voice.

Eventually, after a torturous amount of time, my song finally came to an end, and I couldn’t help but recite the slur of thoughts and ideas that flashed into my head when I was composing the song. I couldn’t stop thinking about those days all over again, from when I had decided to compose my first song, to uploading it on that fateful night.

Kayoko finally opens her eyes and looks back over to me, still smiling with the same excitement as when it started.

Kayoko: “I wish this artist had more songs under their belt. I genuinely can’t get enough of this. What about you?”

Oh you did not just say that to me.

I don’t have it in me to tell her how viscerally twisted my heart is right now.

I look back at her with a nonchalant smile, but every ancestor in my family tree knows that I am absolutely BOILING under my skin right now, trying to contain every idiosyncratic reaction that my body’s suppressing. Sensei’s not getting me out of this one, and no miracle in this city can save me from what’s about to come next. I can’t even tell if this moment was meant to be glorious, as I’m too busy trying to not explode.

..how do I even BEGIN to respond!?!?

Chapter Text

“It’s a great song, I can definitely feel the appeal.”

I have no time to waste watering my thoughts, I have to get myself together, right now.

What can I do? It’s not everyday someone gets this kind of emotion. I don’t have all the time in the world to decide on responses, and I’m not even sure if I should be transparent about my identity. She’s a nice person, but that alone isn’t enough to put myself on display.

…No.

I know what to do, or rather, what to ask. I turn to her directly.

“Still, I’m concerned about something. Is it alright if I ask about it?”

Kayoko shifted her gaze further towards me at the prompt, still holding her phone after my song had concluded.

Kayoko: “Okay. What would you like to know?”

“Does anything happen in Kivotos that would get people fired up about a song like this?”

Her stare towards me shifts to a side-gaze, shifting gears to ponder it. I don’t know what kind of hardships she, or the other students may be facing. For all I know, this could be some happy-go-lucky world where pain is a minimum, but Sensei’s recollections back in the car say otherwise. Maybe other students have similar stories. The information could contribute to future songs, if I decide to pursue that, but inherently I simply want to learn more about how life is here.

My heart’s still racing from the meltdown earlier, but it definitely helps to divert the attention towards something else. I’m interested in learning something from a student directly, even if it might be hard to touch upon.

Next thing I knew, she had given me her undivided attention again.

Kayoko: “Yes. I’ve experienced unbelievable things before, and other students have as well. There are exceptional students out there that work to the bone, regardless if they’re the enforcers.. or the enforced.”

She shifts her chin down and clocks up an arm to point a thumb behind her shoulder at her friends, all of whom were candidly lounging about with Sensei and Master Shiba.

Kayoko: “Us, for example. We’re a School Club from a major school called Gehenna. You don’t need to know much about us yet, but all you need to know is that we.. well based on our president’s attitude; are outlaws.”

“..outlaws?”

Honestly, they didn’t fit the bill for an image like that. I think her name was Aru, but her professionalism hasn’t resonated with the negative energy she’s apparently pursuing. The others aren’t backing up that argument either, considering the raw polarity their behavior was.

Kayoko: “As… unusual as it is, that’s the gist of our club; Problem Solver 68. We accept contracts to solve people’s problems, with most cases ending up with a building gone or crowds running. I wouldn’t blame you for thinking we were something else.”

I guess they’ve got a history.

Kayoko maintains a stoic expression as she runs down an explanation.

Kayoko: “In concern of your question, though, Kivotos can often be bleak. Bullying, discrimination and violence are real issues within the city’s schools, and my friends and I have personal experiences with such issues. Out of all of us, Haruka’s likely had it the worst. It was our president, Aru, that shielded her from her bullies and gave her a place to call home. Her esteem is low, but we set that aside to ensure she’s always okay.”

“Haruka’s the one with the purple-hair, if I remember.”

Kayoko: “That’s right.”

I rest an elbow on the table, holding my chin to join her in thought.

Students will be students I suppose. With all of the mystical things I’ve seen, it’s easy to forget that societies have their antumbras. I did suspect there was a reason behind her behavior, but I hadn’t expected it to be so straightforward. Even kids could always rip each other to shreds; always finding a way to dig in. Vulnerability is an incipient for misfortune.

“I’m sorry to hear about that. I found it unexpected, but honestly I don’t think I should’ve.”

Kayoko: “Well, with how Kivotos is, I wouldn’t blame you. Everything seems so nice around here, but I’d say it was smart to stay neutral.”

Kayoko: “Most of the time though, Kivotos is as pleasant as it should be. Most students follow a path that they wish to complete, with some in particular having bottomless convictions. Our friend group exists because our president, Aru, refuses to let her dream wither. She’s pretty empty in thought sometimes, but underneath that office dress is an undying fire. She’s done everything in the book to become a mastermind of outlaws, and I mean that quite literally. She’s somehow found books about it. Besides that though, we’re united under her desire to succeed, and she easily has the most willpower amongst us. Maybe someday she’ll fully define what she wants, and I’m certain she’ll continue.”

“It’s quite impressive. I guess it would be safe to assume that there’s a loose sense of discipline when it comes to student affairs.”

Kayoko: “You’ve got that right. Gehenna allows most activities to occur, regardless of intent or execution. That’s what our school’s known for. I sometimes wish things were different though, since there’s a bit of a stigma around students from our school. My appearance alone has gotten me investigated, and I can’t bother with objecting to them every time. I just want to live out my day without being watched for no reason.”

She could be frustrated under that composure. She seems like the most reasonable person out there, but even she’s undergone her own problems. It’s not wrong to have simple pleasures and simple lives, but there are variables in life that ensure it never remains that way.

“I agree, I’d hate being judged for reckless abandon. Is it just a simple annoyance to you now, or does it never age?”

Kayoko: “It still happens from time to time when I’m walking alone, but at least I have someone who sees me for who I am. They see others for who they are too. Sensei truly is a compass that you can rely on for anything, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s got his own issues too. He must be keeping a lot from us to reduce our worries, and he can’t remove our concern, even when he tries.”

“Naturally.”

Kayoko: “Do we experience hardships? Yes, it’s common for a lot of students. Everyone wants something that will district or replace their anxieties, even for a few moments or minutes. As Sensei puts it, we’re all still students, so we shouldn’t have to endure such hardships at such a young age. We strive to be mature like him, but he simply wants us to be happy.”

“I’ve seen it first-hand as well, or perhaps to an extent. We had an awkward meeting, of course, but he did what he could to present himself in a friendly manner. He’s got power and authority, but he doesn’t give off an oppressive influence. If anything, he does feel like a benevolent and caring teacher.”

She wears a lighthearted smile, brightening about the ongoing topic. Seems that Sensei might be a sweet spot for most of the students.

Kayoko: “Everyone, one way or another, reciprocates his care of us as students. It feels wrong not to, since he’s sacrificed both blood and sweat for our wellbeing, especially with what had happened a few months ago in Kivotos. He gives us a conviction to continue walking down our paths.”

“That’s.. honestly really insightful. I still had some blots of concern about how he was as a teacher, even after he’s offering me so much, but I trust your accounts of him, as well as what other students may reveal. Though, even with all of this, would music like this resonate well with the students? Is music a real outlet students indulge in to find solace and energy?”

She looks down at her phone, which has now blinked offline to a black, reflective screen. I’m keeping my hopes up with this avenue, and it’s reassuring that her smile’s returned.

Kayoko: “As far as I know, it’s one of our best options. I personally listen to some pretty heavy metal, but it gives me emotions that I would’ve never experienced with my student life. I don’t know anyone other than Sensei who can relate to my tastes, but I still treasure it.”

Kayoko: “This soundtrack though.. it’s just as good, if not better than what I’ve been listening to all of this time.”

She calmly traces a finger across the frame of her phone, wrapping her thoughts together.

Kayoko: “It sounds so simple, but so innovative at the same time; maybe even revolutionary. Maybe it’s because of the vocalist, or because of the punchy pop-rock instrumentals, but whatever it is, it gives me a warm strength. Kivotos does not have many soundtracks like this, it’s a novelty. There’s clear intent behind this artist’s production, and I want to hear more of it.”

Strangely, it’s somehow easier now to digest her words now after that initial blast. I’m not too confident with my ability to make music, but I’m exorbitantly pleased to know that she resonated with it, even though it wasn’t as intense as her usual genre. 

Kayoko: “I don’t know anyone else who listens to this music either, but I honestly hope there’s other listeners. With how young this song is, I hope their success convinces them to do this more. Whoever this artist is, they’ll be written in the stars .”

She peeks over at me after saying that particular line, and I’m pretty sure she just saw me flinch.

“I see..”

Kayoko: “So, I guess to elaborate on your question, yes. Kivotos has a demographic that appeals greatly to motivational music like this. Sorry if I.. went a bit far with my logic, but I hope that makes sense.”

“That’s.. greatly insightful. I’m really thankful you laid that out for me. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to learn this much otherwise, but I will remember this for the future. I’m sincerely thankful.”

I try to give off a warm smile to display my appreciation, even though I’m still moderately mixed over what to expect from this point forth. She stares back at me with one as well..

..but there’s something else about her expression. She’s looking at me with intent, and she knows it. What is she trying to accomplish here? I thought she just wanted to talk to someone new?

“I.. do you want to ask something too? Why are you looking at me like that?”

She keeps her eyes lidded towards me, her lips closing to a small blow.

Kayoko: “So.. what have you been doing as a student?”

I’m trying to keep up my face, but I feel like something’s about to give.

“I guess just schoolwork, scholarships and sightseeing. Not much to do when you’re not sure of what to do. I hope it’s reasonable as to why I’ve been secluded the past month.”

Kayoko: “Nothing else..?”

Oh.. she just HAD to stretch her voice there.

She almost sounded as impish as that other girl before, but I don’t want to think about that right now. My genuine smile turns into a nervous one in a heartbeat.

“I.. don’t really have any hobbies or activities, I’ve just been prioritizing my personal life. I’m sorry if you were expecting more out of me, I’m quite plain.”

Out of nowhere though, she seems to change the subject. I hoped she would, I was kind of hoping to run from that first conversation.

Kayoko: “You know what’s interesting? This music artist doesn’t actually sound feminine, despite the song being released in an online student domain. It’s actually quite the opposite. Regular citizens post their content on the full web, but students tend to stay in this domain in particular due to its familiarity. Isn’t it intriguing how unusual that looks?”

Oh, fuck …

That was NOT what my brain needed to hear right now.

I thought Momotalk was for all of Kivotos to use, not just the students. I was hoping that both students and citizens would find it eventually, but I had no idea it was that private. I was hoping to potentially be interpreted as a male animalistic resident, since I know their voices sound quite normal, but I just shot myself by uploading it here.

God damn it, I had JUST calmed down.

The only outlier more comparable to me at this point, would be a full moon. But even then, I’m not so sure. I might be able to scrap my losses here, if fate lets it.

“Why..? Are you suspecting it’s me ?”

I purposefully raised my voice at the end. Prayed to hell it was convincing.

Kayoko: “Well, you did transfer her less than a month ago. I hate to be that girl, but I’m not seeing any other options ~.”

My face mildly contorts at the comment, but I’m not letting myself down that easily.

“There’s probably someone else out there. What if some other male citizen just wanted free publicity or something?”

Kayoko: “The app is too secure for that; its school-based exclusivity is its greatest selling point. Now.. unless there’s another boy in this city, I think we’ve got a lot to talk about, Alexis.”

Oh screw what I said before, I’m back in a full blown panic. I don’t know what’s scarier; my identity being revealed, or the fact she’s being so sly about it. It’s like she’s trying to pound me down into the grave I had dug myself into, twice over.

“Listen, I know the song’s good, but I could never make something like that. I don’t even know anything about the city or its people; why would I try to create and release something so bold?”

Kayoko: “It’s written all over your face; Alexis. Your face , your body , your soul . The way you were squirming earlier in the first few verses; your eyes desperately trying to stare forward without looking at me; and don’t even get me started on how nonchalant you were with your response. I know you’re mature enough to be around girls, but your behavior earlier was truly unordinary.”

Dude.. was she staring at me that entire time? How observant is she? I thought her intellect was something praisable, but now I’m damn near sad that it’s being used on me. Where did the coquettish attitude even come from? She was so mature about what we were discussing earlier, I could just be seeing why she’s part of this group in the first place. And above it all, I need her to stop staring at me like that, she’ll burn a hole through my face at this rate.

“I.. just had to go to the bathroom. I don’t know any bathrooms around here, since Sensei brought me here to eat, and I didn’t know anything about this district before coming here.”

Buy it, PLEASE!

Kayoko: “Mmn, good argument there, but your question isn’t helping your case here. Why were you phrasing it about the music’s impact rather than just Kivotos? You wanted to know if it would perform well.”

Are you serious?

“I.. well, I.. how am I supposed to answer that? A question is a question! You introduced me to a song, and I wanted to know if students would like it! It’s as straight-forward and straight-laced as that!”

Kayoko: “Were you looking at me during the song because you wanted to see my reaction?”

“Yes! But not because I made it!”

I said that too quickly. I’m waving my hands in her face. I can’t let her get away with this.

Kayoko: “The artist’s anonymous too. Got any ideas as to why?”

“Probably to.. keep his identity shrouded? If he’s male like you said, then he wouldn’t want any exposure yet.”

Kayoko: “Oh.. so we’re projecting now?”

“No.. I thought that sounded pretty reasonable ..”

Kayoko: “And the fact that the vocals all sound like you too-”

Before I could object, my body involuntarily slams my hands onto the stall, rattling every poor dish that was just lined up to be cleaned.

“IT’S…”

“NOT...”

“ME!!”

..and with that, I instantly shut my mouth with my hands as everyone at the stands whips their head towards the idiot shouting at a food stall.

For once, I can’t see Kayoko’s glare anymore, as now I’m staring at the poor bystanders that just witnessed my spineless spiral.

Unbeknownst to me, Kayoko's eyes widened in shock with an open smile that looked frozen mid-laugh. I think this girl I met thirty minutes ago, had just broken me into pieces. 

Forget being piledriven into a grave, I’ve been non-consensually atomized.

IT WAS SUPPOSED TO JUST BE LUNCH.

Chapter Text

”Alexis.”

”Sit..”

”..the hell..”

”..down.”

Nobody told me to do that. That was to me, and me alone.

I’m not sure what had overtook me, but in a breath, embarrassment curdled into a wretched, lingering discontentment. I was still feeling the emotional turmoil from before, but it’s not quite as red hot.

I’m sure it was reflecting on my face too. I didn't have the capacity to suppress myself at that moment.

I simply hunched over the seat, planting my forehead on the stall’s table, silently growling to myself over having been ripped apart like that. I don’t think it was the right emotion to be feeling, but the opportunity to pick the right ideas was simply not there.

I didn’t look back. Their stares may had been daggers, but I didn’t have the patience, nor the strength to care.

I simply pushed my seat back, placed my hands and sat up, and begrudgingly started walking around the same block we came here from.

“..thank you for the food.”

I should’ve looked at Master Shiba when I said that, but pleasantries were not on my mind. I needed to exit the scene and recuperate myself.

I didn’t care about anyone at that moment; nor what they could have been thinking of me. Sensei, Kayoko, Master Shiba; I discarded all of them into the confines of my worries.

And so, I proceeded to walk aimlessly. Aimless, bitter, and alone.

Through the streets of the downtown district, past every shop and accommodation, past every person and their agendas, past every block until nothing was taller than the suburban homes that eclipsed my surroundings.

The houses all appeared the same, though they varied mildly in architecture and color. It was meant to be a classic suburban complex, but the desertification had definitely done a number on this district’s integrity. Outside of the city itself; it was as if governance had taken a backseat.

I wouldn’t be surprised if I got attacked out here, especially since I definitely wasn’t heading the right way back to Shiratori. Frankly, I don’t think I can even get back there on my own.

For all the hope my song was meant to bring, I could do nothing more than run in the face of fear. Fraudulent as it may be, I’m still just a kid. A kid with dreams that aren’t meant to be blessed yet.

Regardless, it’s not like the people I’m dealing with deserve to be fought.

It’s simply me, failing to come to terms with my own predicament, despite how much I crave to hold such a standard. It doesn’t matter how mature or easy-going my lifestyle is, if it takes one wildcard to render me asunder.

Not even the heat or the wind can temper with the malcontent of my mood. 

This.. gnawing resentment towards my inability to keep it together.

Of course, I could just be overreacting, but it’s Kivotos. I don’t know what constitutes as overreacting in a city like this. How am I supposed to bring others to their feet, when I can’t even stand on my own?

Still, I’m sure life will rear itself around to peel me off the pavement.

Or in this case, off the concrete curb bordering a long; brown-brick wall.

The wall’s segmented into pillars, lined with grassy greens despite being in the middle of a desert. The cross-patterned brick floors were starting to blur into my vision, as I had been staring at the ground for potentially the past twenty to thirty minutes. Gaps between the bricks had sprouted ferns and weeds, but it was infrequent enough to still be a qualified path.

I don’t remember how long I’ve been walking, I just wanted to walk somewhere that wasn’t there.

When the brick wall finally came an end, I came across a tall, vertical block that seemed to have something written on it; past the dust and grime.

It was a sign.

[ABYDOS HIGH SCHOOL]

Honestly, kind of a mild jumpscare.

I feel like I do this a lot, but my neck snapped ahead to finally devour the setting I’ve been aimlessly traversing, and it was a sight to behold.

The cityscape was no longer there, or course, but the sand wasn’t there either. It was a rather impressive looking building, full of tan and beige walls but semi-maintained by the windows. Trees were actually planted around the region, with lanterns sporadically installed across the courtyard. It was only at that moment, with the clarity of the building’s details, did I realize the front gate was completely open.

I shouldn’t forget to mention the pyramid-sun insignia that branded the entire campus.

“Wow.. so this is Abydos High School.”

There was definitely nobody here. It was so silent, you could hear the noises of nearby animals more than human activity. The school seemed gigantic from this position, but there was no human activity anywhere. All windows were shut, no movement in the building, and all you can hear is the battering of autumn leaves as the wind bracketed the fauna.

“I don’t think I should step in here.”

I stand right at the front gate, or at least, where it should be, just gazing into the campus without entering. It was tempting to take that one step forward, but I resisted the urge to potentially trespass. Sensei did say there were five girls here, after all.

“..I guess I should turn back. Being here alone is enough to tell me I’ve wandered too far.”

I pivoted on my feet back to strut back down the path I came, only to be met with a black and white-striped tracksuit, and a teal bicycle.

I shouldn’t have to tip-toe around this; of course it’s a girl. She’s got gray-hair and turquoise eyes, though it appears one of her pupils is white. The blue crosshair halo was a dead giveaway, if the presence of another person wasn’t enough. The bike seemed to be decked out with gear and equipment. Would be reasonable to say it was her only form of transportation, but I digress. That’s a cool looking glove though, very hot lime.

The white rifle on her back was probably concerning, but at this point I was expecting anything to happen.

Weirdly enough, I think the way she’s staring at me is more indicative than anything else about her. Her face hasn’t changed in the slightest, as if she’s expecting my soul to open up to be eaten. She did manage to get this close to me despite having a bicycle. Maybe I was simply out of it.

“Uh.. sorry.”

It was about time to say something, but god damn it. I can’t just apologize every time I meet someone.

“I’ll.. be leaving now, I guess.”

I pivot on my feet again to le-

-...

..I am now lifted in the air.

A pathetic excuse of a ballerina duet this is; she unceremoniously picked me up by the waist.

“..hey, HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

I finally got my voice together, after moping for like half an hour. This is not the time to be thinking about your own plot development, Alexis!

“HEY! PUT ME DOWN, NOW!”

I genuinely started freaking out, though I don’t know if it was comparable to the black and white anvil that was crushing me back in the city. My limbs are scrambling, clawing at the air as I am nonconsensually carried past the gates and into the school’s central building. Even when the footsteps shift from shifting sand to tapping tiles, the absence of a second person’s footsteps is very evident. She’s bolting for the stairs.

“I SWEAR, LEAVE ME ALONE! COME ON! WH-”

*THWACK*

“...”

“...”

“...”

“...urgh.. fuck..”

“..what….”

My eyes slowly fade back into focus as my brain stands while my body doesn’t. One moment I was being hauled to hell, and the next I’m completely immobile.

I try lacksidaisily jerking forward, only to find myself bound to a chair in the corner of a vacant room. Looks like I’m still in the school, but I definitely was just stolen like a lonely wallet.

“Shit.. wow, this is tight..”

Yeah, there’s no damn way I’m getting out of this on my own terms. These ropes are leaving my knuckles white, and don’t even get me started on my heels. At least I’m not gagged; I guess.

Definitely regretting my decision to walk off, now that I’m reflecting on it. Sensei wouldn’t have let this happen, surely. The scrutiny from the yelling would have been better than this. At this point, I might end up a shriveled carcass on the side of that dusty curb.

Well, I had a good run I guess.

“..I’m too tired for this…”

As laughable as it might sound, I feel like passing out again. The throbbing on my cranium isn’t going away, and I’m not going to be awake to deal with it.

🎵 ”Oh~... oh…”

🎵 “Round and round we goooo..~”

🎵 ”Hol-ding on to paaain..”

🎵 ”Dri-ven by our egoooo…s..~”

I silently sing to myself, quietly enough that the walls refuse to echo my voice. I simply sit there, rocking my chair, half-lidded, loose-necked and battered; singing a lullaby.

I’m stuck in a dingy classroom, bound by the wrists and limbs, completely segregated from any chance at help. I don’t even know if my phone is in my pocket, but the learned helplessness was too dominant to care about that. Might as well sing myself to sleep as I accept this cringy demise.

The door crackles open with a weak whimper, but I’m too delirious to look up again. I had enough of being jumped by strangers.

???: “You’ve got to be kidding me..”

I don’t hear anything but my own voice in that moment, but there was the beeping of a phone as the person allegedly in front of me punched in a number.

The phone eventually stops buzzing.

[ ???: “Ooh, Ayane! What’s going on, did something break again?”

Don’t mind me, just being completely oblivious to the unchecked fireball that’s currently generating in the doorframe of this room.

???: “Emergency meeting.. get over to the meeting room.”

Oh.. she was pissed .

[ ???: “Mmn, sorry Ayane, this old man’s going to need more than thaaaat-”

???: “NOOOOOOOOOOWWWW!!!!! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOWWW!”

Oh screw whatever I was doing, there’s a more important voice in the room.

I don’t think the person on the other end responded after that, but I kept my head down. Something’s about to give.

[=====]

Scene change! I’m still in the same room, but the fireball has summoned her friends. 

Comically short girl, pink hair, check. 

Normal girl with a gatling gun, check. 

Pouty cat with red eyes, check. 

The fireball with glasses, check.

And of course; the wolf of doom and despair.

“..just, kill me already. At least do that…”

They didn’t give a damn about what I had to say though. Normally I’m the odd one out, but there’s an odder one that’s even outer.

Everyone’s staring holes at the culprit. Some holes are burning deeper than others; like Paleozoic shells boring into crevices to feed off water currents.

There’s no way she hasn’t done this before.

???: “Well? SPEAK!”

Looks like the fireball’s not the only angry one. Now the cat’s joined in on the fun.

???: “Nn.. about what?”

She’s going to kill her. She’s actually going to kill her.

???: “WELL?”

It’s SO LOUD in this room.

“Can you guys.. please, just do something about the noise. You have no idea how weird of a day it’s been.”

My head’s going to burst in more ways than one. Getting slammed into the ceiling was a nasty way to go, but this is arguably worse.

The lights are glaring at this point, but I’m still keeping them partially shut. I don’t have the energy to be presentable right now, I’m just here for the unskippable cutscene.

The seemingly normal girl teeters over behind my chain and clasps her hands around my ears, rendering my senses to an echolocating groan as sound waves bounce between her palms. She’s got soft hands, I can say that at least, but more important, it’s helping. I decide to put my head back down, staring at my lap.

???: “Nonomi… What are you doing…?~”

Nonomi: “He looked like he was sad, so I’m granting his wish!”

I could practically feel her smile radiating across the room, despite her being behind me.

???: “More importantly.. Why is there a boy in this room? AGAIN? ”

Again?! What do you MEAN, AGAIN?!

I snap out of my trance and genuinely start glaring at them back now, as if I was begging for an answer.

Nonomi: “Hey, hey, calm down okay? I promise we’re nice people.”

I relax my eyes and crane my neck upwards to respond to the voice trying to soothe me in this inferno. Unfortunately, I don’t get to see much of her face, as the bulging white-shirt bringing forth a cascade of shade seems to want my attention more. I whipped my neck back into a forward position the second I realized what I was staring at, implicitly noting to never do that again.

???: “He seemed like an interesting person.”

The wolf finally decided to speak up, and I don’t think anyone in this room was eating that up. Is it normal for students to be straight up predatory? I probably should’ve been more concerned about this, over the actual “potentially dying” part.

The fireball with glasses though, I don’t think she’s faring as well as I am.

???: “There’s no way! That’s why you brought him here?!”

???: “Nn.”

I guess silent and scary apply everywhere. Still, despite the girl behind me trying to comfort me, there’s something more important on my mind than getting a head pillow.

“If you aren’t going to kill me, can you at least untie me? I feel like I’m going to pass out over here.”

The pink girl doesn’t seem too worried about my request. She’s in her own world over there on that table, as relaxed as a senior in private housing.

At least the cat’s got some dignity.

???: “..Serika?”

Serika: “Yes, yes. I’ll release you. Shouldn’t have been tied in the first place..”

She kept grumbling to herself as she threaded the knots bounding my wrists, as if she was going to boil off the ropes with her untapped anger.

With the sound of a snag, and the shifting of tethers, it feels like a car has just been lifted off of my hands, as I finally get to use my arms again. I gently stretch them in front of me, finally being able to see my own body after having it tied behind me for so long. I was so pleased, I hadn’t even noticed she had freed my ankles as well.

“Holy.. that feels so good. Thank you.”

Serika: “You shouldn’t be thanking me. I couldn’t be more disappointed that you’re here.”

“Ah.. I’m sorry..”

Serika: “Wait no, not like that! I mean I’m not happy about the fact SOMEONE thought it was a good idea to kidnap another guy!”

She instantly snaps her gaze back at the wolf with a defiant side-eye, though the way she puffs her cheeks is quite something.

???: “Heeeyy, let’s drop the mean faces and give names or something. This aunty is getting droopy over here.”

I didn’t say or do anything, but everyone decided to land their eyes on me. I guess I don’t really get to consent to anything anymore. It was an eight on two battle, disregarding the whale over there.

“Fine. Alexis Solita; call me Alexis. I guess it's a pleasure to meet you all?”

They don’t drop their frustration, but they collect themselves enough to give their greetings.

Serika: “Kuromi Serika. First-year. Welcome to Abydos, Alexis.”

She seems unusually calm though, especially after nearly wailing on the wolf earlier. It was enough for her to give me a smirk; the first smile I’ve seen in this room.

Ayane: “I’m Okusora Ayane; a first-year student. It’s.. nice to meet you.”

She can’t look at me directly. Her fury has abated since I first saw her, but I still feel some fire behind those amber eyes. Still, I can’t shake off the feeling that she’s generally calmer than this.

Shiroko: “Shiroko.”

I don’t bother saying anything back. She knows what she did, regardless of how soft spoken she is. It always sounds like she’s on the brink of whispering, but my cranium has other bones to pick.

My mind doesn’t idle for too long though, as I feel the now-familiar hands around my ears shift down to embrace around my neck. The girl shifts her head next to mine, though strangely it doesn’t feel that uncomfortable.

Nonomi: “I’m Izayoi Nonomi; a second-year student! It’s nice to meet you Alexis!”

As I suspected, she’s got a very elated smile. Can’t complain about someone like that.

“It’s good to meet you too, Nonomi.”

I have the fortitude to at least give her a soft smile. She shuts her eyes and eagerly points at the pile of blankets on the table in the corner of the room.

Nonomi: “And that creature over there.. That’s our president! Ta-ka-na-shi Ho-shi-no! She’s a third-year, the only one.”

I hear a silent “Yo-dosh-kuuun~” from the blackened corner of the room; her pink-eye halo resonating quietly under the shade.

I think I already know who they're going to be, but I’ll ask anyway.

“So.. who are you guys? I thought this campus was empty.”

The fireball named Ayane pushes the bridge of her glasses onto her nose, clearing her voice with a brisk cough.

“We are the Foreclosure Task Force of Abydos High School. The five of us here make up all five positions, and you can consider us the de-jure student council here.”

I take another solid look at all five girls around me, though with a more peculiar expression.

“Would it be safe to assume you girls are the only ones here?”

I hear a rough sigh coming from Serika’s direction.

“Yes, you’re right... we’re the only ones here. There’s not a day out there that’s been easy on us, but we’re strong enough to survive.”

“..where did everyone go?”

I’m not sure what that question entailed, but I felt a great silence enveloped every tongue around me, as if it was a great sin to respond further. Everyone’s faces, even Nonomi's, had fallen to a grim worry.

“..forget I asked. How about something more urgent. Why am I here?”

Shiroko seems to jolt at the question, but she’s not the one to respond.

Ayane: “Our friend here decided that you were a good catch, and brought you up here on her own accord.”

Shiroko continued to stare at me blankly, but she seemed to have something to say for once.

Shiroko: “Sorry about hitting your head. The ceiling was too low.”

Ah, that’s what did it. My cranium isn’t sure whether to like that revelation or not. I don’t have the generosity to tell her it’s okay, as I’d rather give her a more disappointed look.

I can’t seem to give out more than an exhausted sigh though. I peeked outside through the window, but I came to realize that it was definitely no longer the afternoon. The sun had completely faded, and nothing remained of its light other than the halos that arched across the entirety of Kivotos, streaking the stars with its eminence.

“Holy.. how long was I out for?”

Serika pulls out her phone and boops the screen to life.

Serika: “9:26 PM. Your “escort” knocked you out for a full six hours.”

Ayane: “ And didn’t tell us about it. ”

The death glares were back once she uttered that one.

“Really. You kidnapped me, tied me up, and told nobody I was here? I could’ve died in here.”

I don’t even know what to give at this point. I’m just disappointed.

Shiroko: “I would have fed you anyways.”

“..what were you even going to do with me?”

Disregard what I said earlier. It’s not disappointment, it’s frustration.

And to my absolute dismay, all she can offer is a delightfully non-contextual shrug. It was enough to bring my face back into my lap.

“II seriously wish I was home right now.”

I can’t even register if my body feels tired right. From what Serika just told me, I was out like a ROCK. I don’t even know if I’d fall asleep once, or IF I get home.

Ayane: “Well, that’s actually why I found you. A certain someone has been trying to notify everyone in the district to find a male student in dark clothing.”

Right.. of course he would have done that. Man, do I even have the dignity to see that man again? I made a complete mockery of his hospitality, and I didn’t even stick around afterwards to properly thank him. That was genuinely pathetic.

“I assume that would be Sensei.”

A few ears perk up at the name.

Nonomi: “Ooh, you know Sensei, Alexis?”

“Yeah, he’s the one who brought me here. He was meant to show me around, initially just to eat.”

Serika: “Come to think of it, do you go to any school?”

“Nope, I’m homeschooled. Never stepped foot in a single district until Sensei convinced me to come here.”

Serika: “I guess that makes us the first then.”

An interesting choice for a first school, but hey, a semi-welcome one nonetheless. The kidnapping though? That could have been literally anything else, and I would have been satisfied.

“I guess it’s assuring to know that you girls are safe, and kind. Apart from a certain someone.”

Shiroko glares at me for a moment, but she doesn’t have the moral ground to retaliate.

Serika: “Eh, as weird as this might sound, Shiroko here is a pretty good friend. She’s just messed up under the tufty gray hair.”

Shiroko: “Hey, it wasn’t that bad.”

Serika: “Oh, SHUT UP! You know ex-act-ly what you did!”

She repeatedly jams her index finger into her forehead with each syllable, poking a red dot into the wolf as she futilely resists the assault.

Ayane: “Well, I guess it’s good that we found you. I don’t think I would’ve, if it weren’t for Shiroko constantly staring at this room every time we came up the stairs.”

Shiroko proceeded to look down in mild shame, though I’m pretty sure it’s because she got caught, if anything.

“Can I at least get an apology?”

Though before I could wait for a response, the wolf suddenly starts lifting off of the ground, her clothes crunching up as she starts hanging helplessly from an invisible grip.

Turns out, it’s the pink-girl from before. Hoshino’s holding her up by the back like a soiled bag, but her short stature prevented me from seeing her initially.

“Come on, Shiroko. Shake out an apology already. Don’t make this old-timer wait~.”

She still continues to stare blankly at me.

Shiroko: “Sorry.”

I don’t know what to get out of that. If I were to guess, it was either blunt acceptance, or inescapable exhaustion.

“..I accept your apology.”

..though I don’t leave her off without booping her on the nose. I give it a nice, firm push; like a button, before lifting it off with a flick.

Shiroko: “..what was that?”

She didn’t react emotionally to the mild violation, but I think I activated something under that fur.

I reciprocate that gray blank stare she’s been giving me ever since I got here.

“Now we’re even.”

Hoshino finally sets her down on the ground, letting her sneakers touch the wooden planks below.

Though before she got too comfortable, everyone hears flesh slapping flesh, as Shiroko suddenly gets pumped into the floorboards by another invisible force.

Hoshino: “Please excuse my underclassman, Alexis. She gets naughty like that. Would you believe she did that to poor Sensei when he first came here?’

Well, they did have a history.

“Wouldn’t deny it.”

Shiroko made no effort to try and get up. I’m pretty sure she killed her. She’s rubbing the back of her bruised neck, her expression furrowing to a pout. I don’t think anything we do to that girl will stop her from committing the unthinkable.

“Anyways, can someone call Sensei?”

Ayane: “Yeah, I think.. we can do that now. The network was bad today due to an unexpected sandstorm, so we never received his call for help until about an hour ago. We were scrambling around the town to see if you came over here, but a certain student refused to leave the school to help look.”

Shiroko: “No point wasting energy.”

Serika: “Yeah.. I wonder WHY you weren’t looking!”

I give my face a long deserved facepalm, as I allow everything that happened to sink into me again.

Though that doesn’t last for too long, as I feel a familiar golden-glow approaching me. She’s holding out a pink phone, similar to mine, but with a different, more prettier casing.

Nonomi: “Hey hey, Alexis, want to exchange numbers?”

Everyone glared at Nonomi, understandably so, but for once it wasn’t out of malice.

Serika: “Woah, hey Nonomi! Did not know you were that kind of girl!”

Hoshino: “Mmn, they grow up so fast..”

Nonomi just looks back with that same aloof face she’s been wearing this entire conversation. To be blunt, I think I prefer her face over Shiroko’s. One doesn’t evolve intrinsic terror.

Nonomi: “Whaaat~? I want him to be able to talk to me! He’s a nice guy.”

Will say, I’m liking the sudden development though. Feels like the one normal thing that’s happened since I’ve gotten here. This is infinitely more tolerable than my situation from before.

I simply shrug at the request.

“I’ve got no problem with it.”

I reflexively reached for my phone in my right pocket, and sure enough, it’s still there.

I tap the black screen to input the passw-

*DING*

Oh, seems like it’s starting to pick up from this afterno-

*DING DING DING DING DING DING DING DING*

*DING DING DING DING DING DING DING DING*

*DING DING DING DING DING DING DING DING*

*DING DING DING DING DING DING DING DING*

..and in the span of three seconds, I shut my phone with a clenched mouth, blankly staring in front of me.

Ayane: “The network seems to be back, at least. That’s probably why you’re getting these notifications back.”

“Yeah.. but is it meant to be that many?”

Nonomi: “Mmn, no~ I generally get nothing.”

“Nothing from the news, other people, nothing of the sort?”

Nonomi: “Nope!”

I turn my phone back on, but this time with the silencer on, and sure enough, every single pop-up is still there. My Momotalk app is screeching at an impossible 483 pings; a server moderator’s nightmare.

“Did I get doxxed, or worse? What is going on?”

I squint at my phone to try and comb through everything, but the notifications keep piling in without any break.

“I guess we’ll figure this out in a second. Just input your number first, Nonomi.”

Nonomi: “Okay!”

She happily swipes my phone and fruitfully taps her digits into my phone’s contacts.

Nonomi: “Looks like Sensei’s already here, Alexis!”

“Wait, really?”

Nonomi: “No! In your contacts!”

“Ah, right.”

Nonomi: “You seem to be quite popular though.”

…

…what?

Had a minor brain lag spike there, I thought I heard her say “popular”.

“..what?”

Nonomi: “Wow, people seem to seriously like you! The compliments just don’t stop coming!”

Serika: “What, let me see this!”

Ayane: “Hey, wait..”

Sure enough, the three are now huddled around my phone, staring at the endless onslaught of messages that’s tearing through my poor memory. I don’t think their aghast expressions are supposed to be happening, though.

“What’s going on? Can I get my phone back?”

The three girls look at me, after staring at my phone for a good few seconds, but they haven’t dropped their shocked faces. If anything, it’s like they’re comparing me to what we’re seeing on my screen.

“Hello? Please?”

I hold my hand out and clench my fingers repeatedly.

Ayane: “Er, yeah.. Here..”

She whisks the phone out of Nonomi’s hand and timidly hands it back over.

“Thank you.”

Now I get a good look at what’s happening again. It’s the same slur of messages aga-

Wait….

============

[INBOX]

???: “Congratulations on #1!”

???: “This one saved me today. No joke.”

???: “Congrats on the debut! This is how legends start!”

???: “Who hurt you? This is beautiful.”

???: “Where have you been hiding?!”

???: “I needed this more than you know.”

============

Wait..

Wait, wait, wait-wait-wait-

I scramble my fingers as I close out of my inbox and dot my way towards the music domain of Momotalk’s apps.

In an instant, my entire world goes white. I’m pretty sure my eyes went white too.

[DAILY LEADERBOARD]

[ # 1 ] Glory - HYDRA

• 67k Taps
• 13.2k concurrent listeners

“I.. uh.. uhm… I-”

I already feel my breath deadlocking in my throat as I choke in an inhale. It’s coming out, no matter what I try to do, and no matter how far I go to salvage my dignity.

“WHAT?!?!”

And in the distance, I can hear the feint tune of a piano riff; and an oddly familiar chain of bouncing major chords.

Chapter Text

There was a suspicion itching me that needed to be satisfied. The messages being sent to the music video were chronological, so I want to investigate when this started.

I was initially swiping at a brisk pace, analyzing the minutes and seconds descending further back into today. Turns out, I’ve been receiving these messages throughout the past few hours, ever since I had first arrived in Abydos. It was practically a flowing river with its current rate.

Curiosity seized me, and an unexpected impatience overcame me. In a heartbeat, I started to swipe in earnest, clearing chunks and clusters of messages with each swing, watching the time retract into the past. I’d remember to check out what everyone’s been sending me once I’m back home. At least I’m confident I’ll actually be going home tonight.

9:00 PM fell to 2:00 PM, and then to 8:00 AM.

There was a momentary gap after this morning; naturally because it was midnight, but the messages were still abnormally frequent. It was gaining traction even when the sun had nothing to say about it.

However, I couldn’t have predicted just how critically wide the scope of these message posts were.

The panic started settling in after the messages started accelerating throughout the previous day as well. It wasn’t just today, it was getting suspiciously close to when I had first posted the song.

The beginning of this avalanche wasn’t a few hours after I posted it, as I had expected.

It wasn’t three hours, nor two, nor one.

Thirty minutes.

Thirty minutes after I posted the video, it had erupted into a frenzy. Even though it was posted during the evening, it was still enough to throw Momotalk into a statistical maelstrom. I had passed out immediately after uploading it, so I hadn’t bothered to check how my music was being rated, nor did it cross my mind to find an opportunity to check; as my network had been busted ever since I uploaded it.

Come to think of it, my internet had been busted since the moment I met Sensei as well. The elevator had no reception.

It was only after I woke up in Abydos, when the network was finally stable enough to unveil the outrageous amount of success I had achieved over the past two days. Like a hostage bound to a chair in a room nobody could find, begging to escape and reveal their news.

..okay maybe that analogy hit a bit too close to home.

I couldn’t  describe the sensation other than a staggering sublimity. Compared to the existing songs before my untimely arrival; it was by all means, unprecedented.

In two days, I had immutably eclipsed the existing leaderboard; nearly doubling the feedback of the existing podiums. It was an unmitigated landslide.

I couldn’t say I was on the same wavelength as my new fans though. I didn’t know whether to feel sublimity; or panic. With how I reacted, I’m sure it was a mixture of both, as the cocktail of emotions splashed upon me like an inflamed molotov.

Perhaps it doesn’t have to be a meltdown like before.

I could return to what was in front of me, at this very moment. Even under such flawless success, I think I can control myself. I wasn’t going to achieve anything by pencil diving into my own emotions.

..and so I proceeded to waltz over to the nearby couch, plopping myself at its end with the energy of a husband returning from work. The fabric sank around my body, embracing me as it attempted to sink me into comfort.

“Hooo…~”

I pushed my hand against my face, opening my fingers to let my eyes see through. 

I couldn’t beat around the bush, it was as pointless as it could get. There was nothing left to do but to simply accept it. 

That was real.

All of it.

..and now that’s left, is for me to decide how to proceed.

[=====]

Eventually, the other girls had come to sit around me, either on the couch or on neighboring metal chairs, though Hoshino still remained in the corner. It was as if I had propelled myself as a newfound nucleus of attention, but they seemed to be quite respectful about it.

I guess it wasn’t the first time they’ve had to deal with an unexpected male guest. Sensei had experienced the same treatment as well, some time ago.

Ayane looks up from the tablet she’s been cradling near her chest, returning a look of determined conclusiveness.

Ayane: “Sensei should be arriving in about an hour or so. Although we’ve found you, Abydos has always historically been a huge district. It will definitely take time to reach us out here.”

“I appreciate it, thank you.”

Thankfully, it seems the atmosphere had cooled down due to the lack of responses from anyone.

Ayane: “Say.. Alexis, would you be okay with.. simply starting over with us?”

Hm, I wasn’t expecting a question like that. I was still winded from the recent revelation, but I still had the tact to remember there were other people here.

“I guess we did start off on the wrong foot.”

Shiroko, at this point, was more withdrawn now. Her expression seemed to be a bit dimmer from when I had first seen her. Perhaps she felt bad about what happened, after the witty banter had subsided.

Overall, I wasn’t too sure what to think of the girls, honestly. I can tell they’re genuine with their feelings, and they’ve been doing what comes best in an environment like this.

Still, I can’t neglect the fact that these girls had persevered to an incredible extent before I had come to Kivotos. Each one of them had a history here, and they’ve been defending it ever since they became students. Even Shiroko has likely had her own fair share of hardships.

It’s as Kayoko had said. Kivotos isn’t just a city of highschool students. Everyone here has unique lives, and each one has been dealt with by their own cards.

With that considered, I decided how I would proceed.

“I’ve heard from Sensei about Abydos.  You girls have quite a history.”

Everyone seemed to perk up at the comment.

Serika: “Sensei had spoken about us.. to you?”

At this point, I had my hands folded in front of me as I slouched over; my phone was placed next to me on the couch. I didn’t want to think about my song at that moment, despite how tempting it was.

I just wanted to have some clarity.

“He spoke of how incredible you were, dealing with both physical and corporate opponents that wanted to tear the school down. He didn’t go too deep into the context, but the few stories he told me were enough to educate me about this school.”

Nonomi: “My, that man knows how to flatter, doesn’t he?”

Shuffling was heard in the corner as the sleepyhead rose from her blanket fortress. Her eyes were still lidded from sleeping, but oddly enough, her expression was somewhat stern now, as she glared at me.

Hoshino: “So.. what did he tell you?”

Her voice was laced with coarse authority, despite being quiet from her slumber.

“He explained as far up as the initial usurpation of Kaiser. As far as I know, you were all valiant with your efforts, and Sensei was a key determinant in how matters ended up. I may not have been expecting to meet you girls this way, but I’m honest when I say that I wanted to meet Abydos eventually.”

Ayane: “Well, things were definitely rough for a while. We’re still having a hard time, but it’s definitely been calmer recently. I didn’t think that you’d see us so highly, even after what happened.”

I gave a light chuckle, acknowledging what I was about to say.

“Well, we can’t always have it our way, can we? I certainly hadn’t.”

I narrowed my eyes at the silver-haired wolf at the back of the cabinet, with her responding in kind by gently angling her face to avoid my gaze.

“So.. about Sensei. Would it be safe to assume he didn’t come here on his own terms either?”

Nonomi: “Ehh, he did want to come here on his own, but as I remember, he wasn’t so fond of the heat. Shiroko had taken him in, though it wasn’t as abrupt as how she handled you.

Shiroko: “Nn, that is correct.”

I give a lighthearted smile towards Nonomi at a certain thought.

“Sounds like he might be a bit too trusting.”

She puckered up into her usual bright expression in kind.

Nonomi: “Yep, that’s our Sensei! He’s too nice for his own good, even Shiroko would listen to him.”

Serika: “Eh, in most cases that’s correct. He can be quite relentless sometimes. He likes following me whenever he gets the opportunity.”

Nonomi: “Serika, it’s because you’re an interesting person. Everyone likes following you, not just Sensei.”

Serika: “Don’t you dare bring that up again..”

Shiroko: “Nn, not nice enough. Won’t let me go anywhere near the good spots.”

Ayane: “Urgh, Shiroko! For the last time, we are NOT.. ROBBING.. BANKS!”

Serika: “Oh come on! I know I haven’t been the BEST treasurer, but we’re not THAT desperate!”

Serika suddenly dropped her eyes to her feet at that comment.

Serika: “..well, maybe. Maybe we’re that desperate. S-still! There’s no way we’d actually do that!”

“Correction, you did actually do that. Did a pretty good job too, as Sensei had said.”

If I look close enough, I think I can see swirls softly lingering in her irises. Perhaps it’s correlated to how red her face is.

“Are you serious?! Did he HAVE to talk about that! Oh… OH! I’m going to RIP him a new one!”

She’s as fussy as she was when I first woke up, but I don’t mind it anymore. I’m happy that things have calmed down.

Guess all I can hope for now is that it stays that way. Would be a first.

Ayane: “Yeah uh.. we agreed to not talk about that one..”

Nonomi: “Hm? Why? We did a good job!”

Ayane: “Nonomi.. there is a time and place to be optimistic..”

Nonomi: “Yes, yes, Ayane. The time to be optimistic is any time.”

Ayane: “Ugh.. why do I even botherrr… ~.

I had neglected to mention this, but Shiroko was practically bubbling at this conversation. I have no idea when, but at some point she had stuffed some kind of beanie mask on her head, with holes cut out for her eyes, nose and ears. Had a big number two on her forehead as well. Honestly, it looked kind of cute.

Shiroko: “Alexis. Want to rob a bank with us?”

Er… wow. That’s an offer.

“I think I’m good, thank you. I don’t need to elaborate why.”

She narrowed her eyes at me for the insufficient response.

Shiroko: “ Elaborate .”

“If you really needed me to say it, I might be the worst person in this city to attempt a robbery. It’s not just unethical, it’s completely impractical too. I’ve got features about me that are unbelievably easy to recognize, I’ve got no halo, and I’d probably fail at it anyways.”

..why am I being practical about this?

“You know what, just forget what I said. You can’t convince me to rob a bank.”

Shiroko: “The last robbery was very ethical, I assure you. If one robbery could be ethical, then we can do it again, no sweat.”

Serika: “To hell with your ethics! You’re the reason why we met him bound to a chair!”

Shiroko: “Shut up, it was necessary.”

Serika: “ HOW?! ”

Shiroko: “It simply was.”

If they weren’t friends, I’m pretty sure a certain someone would be drop-kicked like a crying baby right about now.

Hoshino: “Oii.. calm down Serika-chaaan. It’s too loooouuud~!”

Serika: “Hoshino! Do something about your underclassmen!”

Hoshino: “ Ehh.. I already did. You must learn to not be so dependent on this old geezer.”

Strangely enough, her demeanour had completely reverted to how it was when we first met, or more accurately, when I first saw her. She hadn’t really interacted with me yet, but I still find it peculiar. Something seriously feels off about her, but I don’t have the will to push on it.

More notably though, was that these girls definitely fit the bill as hearty school friends. Bonding over both blood and beauty, they definitely seem like the kind of group that would exist in a school devoid of other students. Like a crockpot of gags and giggles.

“If you uh, don’t mind me asking.. where are we exactly?”

Serika and Shiroko peel their eyes off each other to look back at me, though Ayane is the one to respond as always.

Ayane: “We’re in a spare clubroom that’s been unused for a few months. We tend to relocate our meeting room occasionally, making good use of the campus.”

Nonomi: “Oh, so it wasn’t because of the spiders?”

Ayane: “HEY! IT WAS ONE TIME!”

Hoshino: “Ayane-chan.. what did I saaay..?”

A world of guns and glory, and yet you can still get done in by the classic arachnid.

Serika: “Like she was saying, yeah. Abydos has a lot of spare rooms since it’s just the five of us, so we like playing around with the empty space every now and then. It’s not just the classrooms that are maintained though, we’re also constantly dealing with maintenance issues of the school itself. It’s every other day when Ayane has to fix the water filter or rewire our electricity. On a good day, we can spend our time discussing or lounging without having to throw in the wrench.”

That would make sense. From what I saw outside the window earlier, Abydos was absolutely gigantic. I wonder if the other schools were this big?

Ayane: “It’s sometimes a challenge to deal with, but there’s nothing we aren’t used to. Perhaps you can see it as a way to build discipline, being the Foreclosure Task Force and all of that.”

Hoshino: “Hee-hee, you’re such a smart person, Ayane.”

Ayane: “Oh come on, you know I just do what has to be done.”

Shiroko: “Very smart, though very stubborn. You’re scary when you’re mad.”

I couldn’t tell if it was because of the lighting, but the tint in her glasses is completely obscuring her eyes.

Ayane: “Don’t even get me started. I only get mad when you guys leave me no choice.”

“Would a situation like this be a common, or rare occasion?”

Ayane: “Hm, with you here? Rare. In any other situation? You’d best believe I’m used to this.”

“You’re dealing with some very interesting seniors.”

Ayane: “Oh, you have no idea.”

I turn my gaze and scan everyone in the room. A new interest had boiled within me, but I wasn’t sure what it was exactly. Maybe I just wanted to start moving again.

“So.. should, or could we do something while we wait for Sensei?”

In a heartbeat, I heard a gun cock in the background near the cabinet.

Shiroko: “I know.”

Ayane: “No.”

CTRL-Z, Shiroko instantly retracted her duplicitous setup. Dead on arrival.

Then, a voice burst out near me, and it was way closer to me than I anticipated.

Nonomi: “Say, I think I know something Alexis!”

To be honest, I almost forgot she was there. I forgot she was even sitting next to me.

“Sure, hit me.”

Nonomi: “How about we learn more about you?”

Wasn’t the proposal I was hoping to hear, but that seems productive too. I haven’t spoken about myself in earnest to any other students yet.

“That would be reasonable. I accept.”

Sure enough, that seemed to grab everyone’s attention. Hoshino had even bothered to pull off her blankets to sit on the desk to face me.

“Alright, I’ll answer any questions you give me. Just be reasonable about it, please.”

In comes the hurricane. Hoshino takes the first shot.

Hoshino: “So.. why did you come to Abydos?”

“Sensei brought me here saying he knew a nice place to eat. I ate over at Master Shiba’s stall, if you’re familiar with that spot. Food was beyond excellent, though it appears I’ve skipped dinner.”

Serika: “Wait.. you met Master Shiba?!”

“Yeah.. I did. I assume you guys know him too?”

Hoshino: “Oh yeah.. she’s veeeeery familiar with him.”

Nonomi: “Our Serika is a part-timer for him!”

“Oh wow.. you work for Master Shiba?”

She tried so.. so hard to stop being pink. I’m so sorry, but it simply wasn’t enough.

Serika: “I.. yes, I do. I’ve been taking jobs for him for a while now. He’s the person I’m most familiar with when it comes to my part-timers.”

Ayane: “Serika works quite a few part timers too. Sensei’s even tuned in every now and then to assist.”

Serika: “Yeah, she’s right about that. I’m always trying to scramble money opportunities to assist with our debt, but it seems that taking on hires is the only reliable method so far. Everything else I’ve done has been either subpar, or counteractive. It’s way too hard!”

Shiroko: “Serika has a tendency to get scammed.”

Talk about spinning the block.

Serika: “HEY! I JUST WANTED TO HELP!”

Hoshino: “I don’t know, Serika-chan. That island ownership contract wasn’t as pleasing as you said it was~.”

Serika: “I wasn’t the only one who fell for that!”

Nonomi: “On the bright side, we made it very nice! Definitely worth revisiting.”

“Tell me more about it later.”

Nonomi: “Sure will!”

Wasn’t sure if it was me, or because it was Abydos, but teasing seems to always be a staple of conversations involving me. Maybe it’s a Kivotos thing.

Serika: “A-anyways! We need to know more, Alexis! Shiroko doesn’t bike around the urban districts, so how did she find you?”

“Well uh.. I was actually the one who crossed most of the distance.”

Oh how should I say this..

“I guess I know of.. ran off?”

Ayane: “What do you mean?”

Oh, I hope I don’t regret this.

“Well.. a thing or two happened while I was with Sensei, and I ran off on my own. I ended up walking aimlessly for a while until I passed by all of those suburban homes, and Shiroko found me at the front gate. What happened next wasn’t so pleasant.”

Shiroko: “So that’s why you were there. You were so easy to steal.”

“Duly noted..”

Are all wolves in Kivotos predatory?

Nonomi: “Hi, hi! I have a question, Alexis!”

“Alright, what’s up, Nonomi?”

Nonomi: “You said you were homeschooled! Where have you been living?”

“D.U. Shiratori. I live quite close to the SCHALE Tower. You could say it contributed to Sensei’s discovery of me.”

Nonomi: “You did say you weren’t a student for any school. Homeschooled, if I remember correctly?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Nonomi: “What’s it like being a boy?”

“Like any other person, I guess? I don’t think I’m too exceptional of a person.”

Nonomi: “Why do you have so many hair ties on your wrist?”

“Force of habit. My hair’s kind of long. Maybe it’s a cosmetic urge.”

Nonomi: “Where did you come from?”

“Some regional municipalities outside of Kivotos. Let’s just leave it at that.”

Nonomi: “What kind of hobbies do you have?”

“I like listening to music. Not much of anything else.”

Nonomi: “What grade were you again?”

“Second-year.”

Nonomi: “Who do you like the most out of us five?”

“Maybe Ayane?”

Nonomi: “...”

Wait, why did she sto-

Oh..

Oh….. damn.

She completely hijacked the conversation. Speeding at 60 miles-per-hour, and then suddenly slamming the breaks. That was the equivalent of running full speed off a t-bone into a hungry lake.

Damn it, I thought I was doing good..

There’s no way they aren’t going to devour me now. Everyone’s exchanging glances with their lips pursed, like watching puppies trying not to whine about a treat just out of reach.

The person that was selected though, she’s looking like something else entirely. I think she’s melting.

Ayane: “I.. wow.. me?”

The response was stammered out with slow haste.

“I.. I don’t know why I immediately thought of you. Maybe it’s because I find you kind of.. relatable?”

Ayane: “I didn’t think you’d have dealt with people too..”

“Just, the overall bottling of emotions, and having seemingly nothing go your way when cooperating with others. You’ve got heart behind your actions, but the world doesn’t seem to respond in kind often.”

Ayane: “That’s.. accurate.”

“Maybe it’s the glasses too. I haven’t seen anyone with glasses other than Sensei.”

Ayane plucked her glasses off her face and ears at the comment, inspecting them silently. Her expression was still puffed from being unexpectedly highlighted, but she still looked nice with the glasses off.

“I’ve had this for as long as I can remember. It’s hard to get replacements sometimes, with the kind of finances we’re dealing with.”

“In my case, I don’t even know if or where I can get replacements if something were to happen to my current pair. Does Kivotos work with male students?”

Ayane: “Oh, definitely not. You’re like a crystal in a cave around here.”

“Great..”

I am really trying my best to ignore the three pairs of eyes staring at me during this discussion, but someone’s going to tear through the veil.

Nonomi: “You have interesting taste, Alexis.”

That smile did not make that sound any friendlier.

“Finding Ayane relatable is interesting?”

Ayane: “Yeah, what do you mean by that Nonomi? Did I do something?”

Nonomi: “Oh no, no, no. I’m just surprised, that’s all. I thought I made the best first impression!”

“You were concerned about that?”

Nonomi: “Of course! You might be a boy, but in the end, you’re a student visiting Abydos of all places! Of course we need good impressions.”

I genuinely can’t tell if that’s actually the reason.

Serika: “I guess I hadn’t really done much to be notable to you, yet.”

Hoshino: “Don’t look at me over here, I’m just sleeping~.”

Shiroko didn’t say anything. She knows she doesn’t have to say anything.

Still, I feel like I’m in a lion’s den now.

“By the way Nonomi, that was uncalled for. You can’t just throw me into a ditch like that..”

Nonomi: “I’m sorry, Alexis. I couldn’t resist.”

“Sure.. anyone else?”

Shiroko: “How old are you?”

“Sixteen.”

The creature in the corner awakens once again.

Hoshino” Uhee~ I’m so old~!”

Serika: “Hoshino, you’re a year older. Why are you always like this?”

Hoshino: “Not always..”

She can’t utter anything without an accompanying yawn. She’s really the president here? I guess your options are pretty limited when there’s only five students.

“..is it alright if I ask something?”

The attention falls upon me again.

Ayane: “Of course, what would you like to know?”

I’m a bit hesitant to ask this, but I guess it’s worth a shot.

“What do you guys think of me? Am I just a male student, or am I anything else?”

Serika: “That’s… hmm..”

I didn’t receive an immediate answer. Naturally, they’re thinking it over.

Ayane: “Well, if it helps, to me you’re pretty nice. Male or not, you’ve been awfully okay with what’s happened with us, even though you’re all the way out here. We don’t get visitors often other than Sensei, so it was definitely unique what happened today.”

“That’s nice to hear.”

Ayane: “Besides, I’m sorry we couldn’t meet each other in a more conditional setting.”

“It’s alright, I’ve gotten over it. I’m sure it won’t be the last time I’ll have to deal with this.”

Ayane: “Trust me, you’re on good terms with us from this point on. If there’s anything you’d like in Abydos, we’ll be available to help.”

Everyone else nodded at the declaration in agreement.

“I appreciate it, thank you Ayane.”

Ayane: “It’s no big deal..”

For the first time, I think someone has genuinely started blushing. She’s dodging eye contact, though not as quietly as she wished it was. I’m satisfied with the fact this isn’t a guaranteed occurrence, and I’m sure it’s just a momentary circumstance. I’m sure other people would want to have a city of girls fawning over them, but I don’t have any desires like that. I just want to fit in.

Serika: “If you’ve met Master Shiba before, and Sensei brought you to him, I’m sure you’re trustworthy as well. Sensei thought of him when considering how to feed you, so you must be kind enough to convince him that was a good option. Master Shiba’s an exceptionally nice person, he’s been with us throughout a lot of our worst times. Even when he was at his lowest, he did what he could to offer services for us. We’ll always be indebted to him.”

“I hope that man’s as confident as he was in the past. He was in pretty good shape when I visited, though the scars on his face were concerning.”

Serika: “Oh, don’t worry about those. Water under the bridge.”

“If you say so.”

I’m totally fine with how moderate the responses are. With how things have gone recently, this was arguably the best case scenario for me. I hope I’m as compatible with other students as I am with this school.

Nonomi: “For me, I can tell you’ve been through a lot.”

“Oh, you could tell?”

Nonomi: “Yeah, from your shoulders and stories. It must not be easy being a male student out there. Kivotos is a bright world, but girls are the standard.”

“Well, you’d be right about that. I’m admittedly, pretty scared of the other schools because of my vulnerability. Even if I was a girl, the lack of a halo would definitely yield consequences.”

Nonomi: “Well, if it helps, you’re safe with us! We might be a Task Force, but we can promise you sanctuary here, as well as Abydos. We’re very peaceful.”

I give a lighthearted smile for the assurances.

“I’m thankful for the gesture… though what were you saying about my shoulders?”

Nonomi: “You’re very stiff around these muscles, Alexis. I could tell from when Serika was being poofy earlier.”

Right.. she was cupping my ears behind me when that ordeal had started.

“Might be from the binds. I’m still a bit sore after that.”

Nonomi: “If you don’t mind, can I do something about it?”

“Huh? I… sure, I guess it wouldn’t hurt.”

Nonomi: “Yay! Don’t worry, I’ll release that pent up stress real good!”

Serika: “Nonomi.. don’t say it like that..”

I guess girls aren’t immune to such an imagination either.

I don’t need to ponder over that though, as I hear Nonomi shifting behind me on the couch, positioning herself against my back. I’m not sitting on her lap, but it’s the closest it can get to that. The minimal room on the couch stopped her from kneeling behind me, so she went about opening her posture around me.

“Just.. be gentle, alright? I might get crushed because of your halo.”

Nonomi: “Ha-ha, don’t worry about a thing, Alexis. I’ve worked on Sensei too, so I know how to treat people like you.”

“That’s a way to put it.”

There’s a hefty amount of body contact right now, but I’m really trying to avoid talking about it. I think the other girls are tempted to say something as well, though they too are refraining. She’s unusually good at melting into people’s comfort zones.

Come to think of it, she’s been doing this the whole time, has she?

I shrugged my jacket off languidly, brushing my hair across my right shoulder. My name should be on full display now. It’s a little embarrassing in this position, but I think I can trust her to be considerate. She unsheathed her hands from her fingerless gloves.

Nonomi: “I’ll start now, alright?”

“Okay..”

With that, she gently, and then firmly gripped my shoulders like a bicycle, gently pushing her palms against my upper back. I could feel what she was talking about earlier with how stiff my body was, so I let her work without any strings attached. Her hands were a little bigger than expected, but she’s very adept with her pressure, shifting from curling her fingers in waves to rubbing her thumbs into my muscles.

It definitely was the warm embrace I was hoping for from a massage like this. I don’t think I’ll get to experience something like this again, at least for a while.

In a matter of time, she built up a rhythm, moderately guiding her fingers as I relaxed into her grip.

“You’re doing a good job, no complaints.”

Nonomi: “I’m happy to hear that!”

“I guess, you can keep it up for as long as you’re comfortable.”

Nonomi: “No worries, Alexis.”

I let her idly smush my body while I oriented my focus back to the conversation at hand.

“So.. what now?”

Felt a bit awkward saying it like that, but I think there were still two people with potential opinions. 

The wolf stepped up first.

Shiroko: “You’re a good person, I don’t doubt you at all. It’s as everyone else said, you’ve got your own problems to work with, just like all of us. You don’t need to be particularly special in Kivotos, but there are some students who want to be exceptional.”

“I think I know what you’re talking about. I did meet some rather extravagant people before coming here. They seemed like the kind of convictions that would pursue their dreams to the very end, even at such a young age.”

Shiroko: “There’s always a new personality to experience in Kivotos. Every corner of this city has someone waiting to see the spotlight. It’s not surprising.”

“It’s comforting knowing that students are this comfortable, at least. The places I’ve been to were always scornful or reclusive. This is a refreshing change of settings.”

Shiroko gave a small smile; the first one I’ve seen.

Shiroko: “Well, I hope you get used to it.”

For the first time in a while, my heart genuinely feels warm. It’s not exactly romantic; but rather this quiet kind of joy that’s sprinkled in your life every now and then. I feel like I’ve actually made new friends this time, and it means a lot more than I had expected it to be.

I still feel like Kayoko belongs in that circle, even after what happened. I lost my composure way too quickly with her, and she didn’t mean to knock me up on the rocks with the song. Perhaps it was just one of those strange, fleeting moments. By her demeanor from before, and the maturity from her initial response, it seemed out of character.

Hopefully I can meet up with her again and apologize.

Nonomi: “Weew~, it’s getting warm here.”

“Ah.. right, yeah you’ve been at it for a while.”

Nonomi’s still as passionate about this massage as before. She hasn’t lost any of her energy, very diligent indeed.

Though perhaps I let it go on for a bit too long. It doesn’t feel that embarrassing anymore, but I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing.

Shiroko: “So.. how do you get your clothes?”

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

Shiroko: “Kivotos doesn’t have any male students, so naturally nobody makes any male clothing, apart from suits. How do you plan on getting clothes in the future? You’re still growing like us, right?”

“That’s.. a good question. I’m not sure.”

Ayane: “Maybe Sensei would know what to do. He probably ran into this problem before as well, but he seems to be of no concern.”

“I shall make sure to ask him about it then.”

Shiroko: “Nn, what if he wore a girl’s clothes?”

“Eh, not happening. I don’t think anything would convince me to do that.”

Serika: “Shiroko, do you have any dignity in there?”

Hoshino: “No, no, Serika-chan. You know the answer to that.”

Shiroko: “Your guess is as good as mine. Anyways, whose clothes do you think he’d look the best in?”

“I am not contributing to this topic.”

Shiroko: “Hmmh.”

I don’t think she’s running out of inane ideas anytime soon. I guess I should get used to it.

Setting that aside, I can’t ignore another underlying tension in the room. Someone’s got something to say, and they’re refuting themselves from speaking about it. Even with how bold some of these questions were, they were mostly tolerable. Not exactly dreadful, just apprehensive.

Nonomi: “Say, Alexis. Is it okay if I ask about what happened on your phone?”

Ah, there it is. I guess I have no choice.

“I guess.. I can talk about it. I created something two days ago, something I was working on over the past two weeks. The reception was unusually great, even though I didn't upload anything prior to it. I can’t even explain it myself.”

Serika: “..and what would that be, if you don’t mind?”

Her anticipation was palpable, popping out of her voice like sparks off flint.

“A song. I produced a song on my own.”

Huh, that rolled off the tongue a little easier than expected. Where was the tension and hesitation that was supposed to go with that?

Serika: “Wait.. are you referring to the current number one song on Momotalk?”

“That’s the one. I didn’t realize it was rated that high until the network was fixed here. My internet’s been busted ever since I first encountered Sensei, so I was blissfully ignorant about this success until just now.”

She unexpectedly started to softly vibrate at the response, anticipating something she might have been withholding this entire discussion.

Serika: “Dude.. I listen to your song when I’m working! How did you make something so energizing?!”

She doesn’t even look angry anymore! She’s actually smiling.

“I.. wait, you do?”

Serika: “Yes!! I haven’t done this with any other song. I can’t do anything productive anymore without listening to it. It’s like you afflicted me with some irreversible attachment.”

Ayane: “I.. admit that I’ve been listening to it as well. It wasn’t just the fact that it was a boy singing it, but the rhythm and soaring melodies just give me this unexplainable determination. With how things have been at Abydos, it honestly hits a bit close to home. It’s like a personal testament to our struggles.”

Nonomi: “Hmmh, I can’t say I’ve heard it yet. I don’t usually listen to music!”

Hoshino: “Count me out too.. though this old timer  should check it out when I’m ready…”

Serika: “Did you know about this too, Shiroko?”

Shiroko: “Nn, no.”

Serika: “Wow. You are a piece of work. Both you and your other version are nutjobs.”

Shiroko: “Never have been prouder.”

Another version of her? Can’t say that rings any bells. Maybe she’s just referring to a close friend, though I don’t know if she has any friends outside of Abydos.

Serika: “A-anyways! Your music is undeniably amazing! How did you make something like that by yourself?”

“I.. simply was inspired one day. I wanted to make something that at least some people would find relatable or inspiring, and I guess it was my way of trying to fit in.  I wasn’t sure of how my life would be in Kivotos, but with you girls and Sensei, I think it’s safe to say it’s possible.”

Serika: “Oh, with talent like that? You’re definitely getting far! You’ve got to make more music!”

“Really? You think so?”

Serika: “YES!! Absolutely! You have to, you HAVE to!”

Woah, she’s practically boiling over at this point. I didn’t think she was capable of being this colorful. I don’t think the others were expecting it either.

Ayane: “Seriously, your music is the best when it comes to charging the air. We’re all striving for personal greatness, and it’s not just us, but everyone else in Kivotos too. We need this kind of triumphant, empowering energy in our lives. I don’t know any students who make any music, let alone motivational music. This could seriously be groundbreaking!”

Both of them are practically glowing now, and I’m simply here to absorb the newfound feedback.

“I.. guess I could work on another song. If you guys really think this could work out, then I’ve still got a fight left in me. Even if I’m by myself, I might be able to replicate what I’ve done.”

Serika: “Really? You mean it?”

“I mean it. I’ll do what I can do best, even if it takes a bit.”

Serika: “Oh.. HELL YEAH!!”

Serika literally jumped in the air at that finality; a long-desired burst of energy that this dim room so desired. Her sidetail fluttered back against her body after she had landed back on the wooden floor, as if she had been reborn.

Serika: “You have my word Alexis, you’re going to be amazing. I’m sure of it.”

“I’m very flattered, I appreciate it.”

This development was unexpectedly productive. I definitely know what I’ll be doing for the next few weeks. I think this is what Sensei and Kayoko would’ve wanted as well, if they were here.

Ayane’s completely stoked by my declaration as well, though she’s not as explosively excited as Serika is. Regardless, I’m elated to see how much of a mark I’ve left on these girls, even though I hadn’t been expecting such an impact.

Kivotos really could be a perfect breeding ground for success. I think I can make this happen!

Nonomi: “My, my, you made them so excited , Alexis!”

“Hey, it wasn’t my fault they’re so into it.”

Nonomi: “No, I’m pretty sure it was your fault buddy. You bloomed them open like healthy roses.”

“Okay, maybe you could have phrased that better.”

Nonomi: “Mmn, no! I don’t think I could’ve!”

“Oh, what to do with you.”

Nonomi giggles to herself at the remark, slowing down the pace of her massage to a simple rub. After the energy subsided, I really feel the effect of her magical hands now. I feel like I’ve lost a few pounds! Wouldn’t be surprised if she actually did make me lose a few pounds.

I silently rub my own shoulders with her, coaxing out the last remaining knots that were fleeting in my muscles.

“Wow, you were great. Well done.”

Nonomi: “Happy to hear it! If you ever want another one, I’ll gladly be there.”

“Very noted, I shall remember that.”

Hoshino: “Uhee~ It’s so late now.. you guys have been talking for a while.”

She’s still yawning, even after all of that. Though she’s correct about that assessment, I think at least half an hour has passed by. The moon is starting to properly rise outside of the window now. With how things are looking, it might even be a full moon. The sky is so bright, I can’t tell if it’s from the global halos, or from the celestial overseer up above.

Ayane: “Wow, it’s been so long since we’ve gotten together like this. No business, no worries, well mostly no worries, and a new guest to boot. It’s honestly an awesome experience to be here with you, Alexis.”

“Hey, don’t say it like that. I think it was you guys that made this so endearing.”

Serika: “I agree with Ayane. It’s been like forever since we’ve gotten to lay back like this, I can’t find a way to describe it. I wish I could have more of this.”

Nonomi: “Hehe, me too. You’re fun to talk to Alexis, I hope you visit us more in the future.”

Shiroko: “Nn, we’ll plan something fun for you if you come back. You’ll be very pleased with what we have to offer.”

“I really appreciate it, all of you. I’m going to be honest, I hadn’t made any concrete friends ever since I’ve gotten here, so this truly is a breath of fresh air. It’s almost ethereal that I’ve managed to come this far, and I’m thrilled that I was able to be a positive influence here as well. If I find the time to, I’m sure I’ll be here again.”

Ayane: “Don’t worry, we'll make sure the hospitality is better too! I’m sorry for how things started, you have my word that it will be easier.”

“Hey, don’t apologize, okay? I don’t want you to think about me like that. Just think of me like another student.”

Ayane: “If you say so..”

“Would it be possible for someone to see where Sensei is right now?”

Ayane: “Yeah, one moment. We should be able to see the coordinates of his escort.”

She swipes the black tablet off of the center desk and opens a navigation profile. Sure enough, there’s a red dot steadily moving down the central road to reach the school. Seems they’re about midway into the suburban region.

“Man.. how long was I walking out there?”

Ayane: “Definitely couldn’t have been for half an hour. You must have looked like a zombie out there.”

Shiroko: “Abydos’s desert tends to do that to boys.”

“No kidding.. I don’t see how Sensei managed to deal with this.”

Sensei: “He didn’t. I did.”

“Seems legit.”

Shiroko: “He uses a car now. He should just use a bicycle.”

Serika: “Shiroko, he’s not getting home on a bicycle.”

Shiroko: “With enough water, any place can be reached by bicycle.”

Serika: “Yeah, but he’s not you. He’d probably die if he tried doing what you do.”

“She’s probably right.”

Shiroko: “Then we’ll test that in the future. Be ready, Alexis.”

“Oh boy, exercise .”

I make music, not touch grass. Well, I guess there is no grass here.

“I guess.. you guys could show me around campus?”

Ayane in particular seemed to perk up at the request.

Ayane: “We could.. but honestly there’s not much to see. Mostly everything is vacant and unmaintained except for our clubroom, and even then there’s not too much to see.”

Serika: “Especially with how big the school is, it would probably be best to keep that on a bucket list. If we manage to restore more of the school in the future, we’ll make sure to show you around.”

“Sounds good.”

Nonomi: “Well.. there is one place we can show him!”

Everyone gazed over in my direction, but their focus was on the girl sitting behind me.

“Sure, what’s on your mind?”

She poked at her chin while looking around, tinkering with her thoughts.

Nonomi: “Well.. there is an old music room in Abydos, as well as a fairly impressive stage. The school used to be the biggest, so naturally we had some very roomy aspects. Say, Ayane, do you think there’s some instruments left over?”

Ayane bent over the table, resting her chin on her hands as a support beam, narrowing her eyes in thought.

“Mmn, yes.. I think we do have some things left over there. There should still be some instruments left in their cases, so they should be rather clean. Are you suggesting that he should play something for us while we wait?”

Nonomi: “On the money, Ayane! Let’s put him on a stage! Our stage!”

“Woah, that’s a bit fast Nonomi. I know how to play electric guitars, but I haven’t been in practice for some time. Can’t really use instruments in apartments, especially since I don’t have anything to channel the noise.”

Playing on Abydos’s stage? There isn’t anyone around, so I guess noise wouldn’t be a problem to begin with. Would I do that?

Nonomi: “Oh, Alexis. I’m sure you’d look great up there.”

Ayane: “I guess it’s worth a shot. What does everyone else here think?”

Serika: “Count me in!”

Shiroko: “Sounds good.”

Hoshino: “You guys do what you want, I’ll be here in my corner.”

Nonomi: “Hoshino, I’m thinking of preparing a lot more than just having him play a guitar. Trust me, you’re not getting sleepy here.”

Hoshino: “Mmn, you’re so mean..”

Ayane: “If I’m correct Nonomi, are you suggesting for us to use the school’s intercom system as a speaker system?”

Nonomi: “Oh yes, you’re correct. Nobody’s around here, so there will be no complaints.”

“I guess.. a song or two would do. Actually no, it would just have to be the one song I made. Would you really do all of that just to hear one song?”

Ayane: “We’ve got nothing better to do, and I think Serika would be very into the idea. Would you be up for it, Alexis?”

Playing and singing on a stage for an audience of five. I can be as loud as I’ve always wanted to be, to fly as high as I want to fly.

“Count me in.”

Ayane: “Alright then! Let’s do it!”

Hoshino: “Hey.. wait.. there’s one thing left to do here..”

Serika: “Hm, what is it? You aren’t the kind of person to do anything Hoshino, something wrong?”

Hoshino: “Mmn, no.. but I’m sure our guest would want to see it.”

She creeped out of the blanket fortress, yawning and shut-eyed as always. I almost forgot how short she actually was, despite being a third-year. I guess life does people dirty every now and then.

She gingerly swayed herself over to the classroom door, before poking at the singular lightswitch. In an instant, the rectangular lights that blanketed the small meeting room blinked out of energy, leaving a ghostly, ethereal silence, and the dispersion of dust under the hypnotic moonlight beaming in from the lonely window.

Hoshino: “Hey Alexis.. check out the moon. Abydos has very pretty nights.”

“Don’t mind if I do.”

After what seemed like forever, I sat up from the comfort of Nonomi’s lap, stretching my limbs as I approached the window. Though on my way there, I realized how much taller I was compared to the other girls, despite being just 5’9 [175 cm]. The closest girl to my height was Nonomi, which I noticed after she too sat up from the couch, which by now had been miserably crunched from the weight of two people. Even then, I seemed to be at least half a finger taller than her.

Shiroko: “Tall.”

“No, not really. I’m sure there’s some girls here taller than me, I’m pretty average.”

I noticed how the moonlight swept over the faces of the other girls; a silky luminosity that highlighted the potent colors of their irises, and the complexions of their skin. It lingered like a blessing, igniting strands of hair into silver flame. The clarity of each and every one of them was brought by the warm hush of Abydos’s night, charging their silence as if the moon itself had drawn closer to embrace them.

“You guys look so different under the moonlight.”

Serika: “Heh, we can say the same about you.”

Turns out, yeah. We were all staring at each other at that moment, having forgotten to inspect the window beyond. We pick up where we left off, and I find myself leaning over the edge of the large, open rectangular window, enveloping myself in the whimsical breeze of a night-ridden wind. I felt my hair drift against my neck and clothes, blowing westward as the breeze and heat competed for my attention.

Beyond these two competitors though, the moonlight paled in comparison.

The sky.. oh, the sky was something else entirely.

It sprawled above like a cathedral of ink and diamonds, vast and indifferent. Stars had peppered the darkness in beautiful and lonely clusters, as if the cosmos had spilled its cornucopia of miracles across the violet-blue canvas.

The moon dominated everything; bloating, brilliant, and whole. It was the same moon I’ve witnessed my whole life, and yet it just seems so much more empowering in this lonely desert, where not a single cloud could be witnessed to censor its majesty.

Its fullness casted a silver glare that washed over the rooftops, power lines, school buildings and far beyond, into the cragged stillness of the desert.

..and above it all, it bloomed a colossal ring of halos. The entire city seemed to be under its blessing, dissolving edges and shadows in its ghostly arc. The world itself was a mirror for this sacred sky, and even the sand; miles away from this humble abode, seemed to shimmer faintly, dusting with frost under this celestial eye.

It wasn’t as if we were just looking at the sky, but rather as if we were inside it. 

Swallowed by the fathoms of infinity.

“That is.. impeccable .”

Nonomi: “No kidding. It never gets old.”

Serika: “Every hour and drop of sweat is worth it if I could just get to see this view every day.”

Ayane: “It’s one of the many treasures of Abydos. We will never leave this behind.”

Hoshino: “Three years in, and this old timer still gets to see the great view of the sky. You guys are so lucky.”

Shiroko: “After all that’s happened in our lives, we can always come back here and experience the same sensation we felt in our first moments.”

“You guys are one hell of a story.”

Hoshino: “..and that, we are.”

The other girls have rallied alongside me, all leaning over the window’s frame to point and bask in the desert’s blessings. With all of the ruins, and dust, and hopelessness, it all seemed to wash away under the heavenly gaze above us. Abydos truly does feel like a sanctuary to call home.

“I think I understand why you guys love this school so much now.”

Ayane: “It’s more than just the sky. It’s everything that has come to assemble who we are today. This is simply one of many moments that we wish to protect, even if the odds seem undefeatable. Do you see why your music relates to us so much now?”

“I see it now. Without a shadow of a doubt.”

..and so we sat there, for those few precious minutes, conversing with each other and sharing our collective experiences, all while staring at the very embodiment of hope.

I’m excited for what will come after this, but for now, I simply want to endorse myself under this rebirth of a day.

It truly was.. glorious .

Chapter Text

Tonight was a beautiful evening, no doubts befall this claim.

Though there’s other ways to spend the time.

Footsteps shuffle as someone from the back of the watch party steps away from the window.

Nonomi: “Alright! Ready to go?”

Serika: “Oh yeah, let’s get to it.”

The others begin to dismount from the window as well, as I observe hands and halos drift into the shadows as the five girls retract into the school’s halls, though a distinct pink-hue remains in front of the doorframe.

Hoshino: “Alexis.. you coming?”

I still have a hand on the dusty window frame, the only one left to bask under the moonlight.

“Right behind you.”

And just like that, I’ve fallen back into place, quietly shuffling my way out of the classroom for the first time.

I was met with an unusually narrow hallway, stretching fairly far in both directions. Floors were wooden, just like the classrooms, and the walls were lined with hoarded; but organized furniture. Chairs, desks, shelves, you name it. To the right was a cubic water fountain, and to the left I could see another wall of chairs.

It was unexpectedly cozy for a school that didn’t have a workforce to maintain it, and everything felt more genial by the fact it was all seasoned with that same, silky moonlight that pierced through the array of windows. The reflections of the stockpiled chairs casted potent shadows on the planks below, and through the windows you could observe the faded hues of the trees cultivated outside.

That halo across the sky seemed to stretch on forever, like a permanent constellation.

Hoshino: “Hey Alexis.. you coming? Don’t make this old timer wait.. okay?”

Her voice was slurred but muted with that same high-toned vocals, her eyes dimmed as much as her pink halo was. Her appearance was completely dampened by the lack of moonlight, though I could still make out her short stature.

“Ah, sorry. I was just kind of mesmerized. It’s the first time I’ve been outside of the classroom here.”

Hoshino: “Oh, trust me, my underclassmen did what they could. They’re very resourceful.”

“Duly noted. I guess they ran off something?”

Hoshino: “Yeeeaah.. they all dashed down the stairs like puppies being let off leashes. I guess they expected someone to ensure you kept up.”

She must’ve been tired because of the late call. Even though it wasn’t really my fault, I still felt like saying something about it. I rubbed the back of my head at the thought.

“I’m sorry, by the way. It’s really late, you must’ve wanted to sleep before Ayane called.”

Hoshino: “Eh.. don’t mind it. I’m always looking for a good nap, and they haven’t stopped complaining about it since. Always saying how I should be the upperclassman they need, and that I should do my duties as president. Honestly, I see this more as a five-student rodeo than a club with a leader. It’s very tiring.”

“I can certainly believe that. Still, they’re quite diligent.”

Hoshino: “Ooh.. indeed.”

She seemed to draw out her voice like a snoozy whistle. It did wonders in regards to how people perceived her. Though, despite that demeanor, I couldn’t shake the idea that there was more to her than the melatonin.

She stood in the center of the hallway’s frame, with an open lobby region behind her. As much as the moonlight wanted to reach her, stretching through the windows of the neighboring rooms, nothing seemed to pierce into the huge chamber she slouched over in, allowing the darkness to devour her whole.

It was as if there was a blindspot, either figuratively or physically about her. I think she’s trustworthy, but she has to be more complex than this. It felt as if she was surrounded by the silhouettes of her former classmates.

..why would someone like her stay in Abydos?

“Hey.. is it okay if I ask a question?”

She doesn’t open her eyes, but she responds in kind.

Hoshino: “Sure.. what’s up?’

“What was this school like.. before the desertification?”

Hoshino: “Hoough.. that’s a question.”

Unexpectedly, she straightens up her posture, holding her hips with her irises aimed at her feet. As a senior, she’d had to have a meaningful opinion of this.

Hoshino: “Is it alright if I show you a place? It’s best if the others aren’t here.”

“Sure. I’ve got no problem with that. What do you have in mind?”

Hoshino: “A very precious place, at least to me.”

She steps further into the darkness, approaching the stairwell. Between the left stairway funneling down to the ground, and the right hallway spiraling to the roof, she takes the right. I quietly follow behind her, listening as our footsteps clatter with each echoed pace; a stark contrast to the thunderous storm of footsteps that the rest of the Abydos spiked from their enthusiasm.

As of now, Hoshino’s been rather elusive. She seemed to be rather lax throughout our conversation in the room I woke up in, though I’m sure she’s always been like that. Her attitude during any topics relating to Abydos itself was quite dichotomous though, as if she were expecting everyone in the room to pick their words carefully. Would that be why everyone backed down when I asked about their history?

She was their senior after all; the only senior that remained. If there was anyone with history, it would be her, regardless of what kind of social profile she puts up with. Underneath that sleepy pink hair, I’m sure a conviction as strong as the others is dormant.

We travel three more floors up, making our way through more wooden hallways laced with stacks of furniture, until eventually at the end of a particular hall, we find a singular at an intersection. There’s a sign bolted next to the top corner of the door.

[ABYDOS STUDENT COUNCIL]

The door was comparably more aged and damaged compared to the other untouched chambers. It looked as if the knob itself had been torn off. What happened here?

Hoshino: “Don’t mind the door. There was a good reason for its destruction.”

“If you say so.”

She pastes her entire right hand above the doorknob’s frame, gently drifting the door open to reveal its contents. It appears to be a kind of wedge room, though most of the items in here are archived in a wide array of boxes; a standard table anchored to the center of the room. A large whiteboard rests at its epicenter, though nothing is written on it. There even seems to be a lone fan attached to one of the adjacent walls, though it’s quite makeshift. I guess even the Council wasn’t immune to the desertification’s effects.

“It’s been some time since this was last used.”

Hoshino: “You can say that. I normally wouldn’t show this to anyone, even my own juniors, but recent events have convinced me to be transparent about this.”

“Something happened recently?”

Hoshino: “About two months ago, a series of chaotic events happened oriented around Abydos. My juniors eventually dealt with it, though I can’t say I was the same.”

“I didn’t think you’d be the kind of person to abandon people.”

Hoshino: “Oh, I hope I’m not like that, at least not anymore.”

Seems that this pinkette has depth.

“So.. this is the former Student Council room. Did you happen to be a part of the Student Council before?”

Hoshino trots over to the left of the table, plopping herself down onto a firm red couch in front of a window, resting into position as the moonlight churns into her long hair from behind.

Hoshino: “Yes, this used to be a great deal to me, as well as my senior.”

“Your senior? Not seniors?”

Hoshino: “Trust me, you can’t underestimate how low Abydos fell when I was younger.”

“Point taken.”

I lean back against the wall next to the door, taking in the sight.

Hoshino: “She was a very.. hm.. enigmatic person.”

“Your president?”

Hoshino: “Yeah, but with how our relationship was, as well as her own circumstances, it would be best to say we were more like friends than in a hierarchy. It was just the two of us after all.”

Hoshino kept up her gloomy expression, though her voice wasn’t as airy as it was before. Her tone was more enforced, though not outright tense or bitter. She seemed collected.

“I guess the desertification has been a problem far longer than the FTF has been active.”

Hoshino: “You’re right about that, it’s been at least four years since it started. Nobody’s sure why it happened, but all that mattered was that it did. The desertification was only the killing agent though, it was the economic cataclysm that followed that was the issue.”

“Right, with Kaiser and all of that.”

Hoshino: “Oh.. it’s not just Kaiser. Sure, Abydos owes their money to several corporations now due to our debt being tossed around, but that’s recently taken a backseat. There was an assertion of authority from the FTF, and now we have better control over how cards are played nowadays.”

“I’m surprised you had such an opportunity.”

Hoshino: “I’m surprised as well. I’ve got to learn to stop underestimating my juniors. They’re good at keeping miracles alive.”

“What about you? Surely you’ve contributed heavily as well.”

Hoshino: “They’ve done a lot more for Abydos than I had, even if I just so happened to be the first. Hell, they even had to dig me out of the grave a few times.”

“How so?”

Hoshino: “To be blunt, I haven’t been a good chairwoman for them, and it’s not just the naps. I was more than irresponsible, I was outright rebellious.”

“..why? You wouldn’t stay at Abydos if you didn’t like their efforts.”

Hoshino: “It was more about my own regrets than what mattered the most. At the time, I hadn’t really resolved my thoughts with Abydos’s meltdown, and it had major ramifications on the school as a whole. Even students outside of Abydos held a strange reputation about me.”

“Was it just a lot of stress, or was it something else?”

Hoshino: “Stress was a given, it was what happened to my senior that broke me.”

“If you aren’t okay with speaking about it, I’ll withdraw in respect.”

Hoshino: “No, it’s alright. I’d actually like to talk about her, it might be a good step in the right direction.”

“Alright, if you say so.”

I’m not sure what I’ve gotten myself into, but it must have been a big deal if Hoshino’s this revolved around it. Besides, if she’s open to explaining the stigma around her, then I’m all for tearing down walls.

Hoshino: “The Student Council President, and my friend, was Kuchinashi Yume.”

She leans to a particular box on the side of the couch, gripping a small portrait photo frame. Hoshino was in the photo, definitely of her younger years, as her hair was shoulder-length in comparison to her long modern locks. She had a totally different expression, and I couldn’t find a way to describe it other than disdain or agitation. She even had a tactical outfit on, despite her short stature.

To her left was a much taller girl in the standard Abydos uniform, like the uniforms the other girls in the FTF were wearing. As weird as it is to note, she had a crest size I have yet to see in Kivotos, other than perhaps Nonomi. Looking at it now, she kind of resembles what Hoshino looks like now, but with faded turquoise hair rather than the pink. They were polar opposites, but they seemed close enough to justify the photo’s existence.

“Seems like a nice girl.”

Hoshino: “She was. Definitely too nice though, I had to save her to an outrageous extent, she couldn’t stop falling for fallacies and scams as president. Honestly, she made me insane sometimes with how trusting she was.”

“How did she even get elected to president?”

Hoshino: “Beats me. Abydos was so depraved at the time, they threw anyone available up for president. She just happened to be the last one.”

“She still stuck around though.”

Hoshino: “Indeed she did. As frustrated as she was, she was my only friend at the time. We were the only two students in Abydos.”

“..and after she graduated, you remained afterwards in her place?”

“...”

Hoshino bit her lip with anguish, holding the photo a little tighter than before. I might be able to anticipate what she says next, but I’m unpleasantly surprised that this could happen in Kivotos.

Hoshino: “I.. I really wish she graduated.”

I decided to bite the bullet.

“Did.. she pass away?’

Hoshino: “Yes, she did. I myself don’t know what happened to her, but I found her. I wish I could’ve done something about it. I should’ve done something about it.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Nobody should have to deal with death at such a young age.”

Hoshino: “It’s not even just that. I was immutably convinced that it was my fault. If I had just been a better friend, if I believed in her more, maybe she wouldn’t have died. I wish I could’ve done more than bury her on that day.”

She didn’t weep over the thought, but she did hug the photo tight to her chest.

“..and you remain here to honor her legacy.”

Hoshino: “That wasn’t my original plan, but now it is. That is my conviction for Abydos. I will ensure to the end that her faith and trust isn’t buried like the rest of our school.”

“..why would you go so far to tell me this? I came here out of unusual luck. I don’t seem like the right person to talk to about this.”

Hoshino: “If the other girls trust you, I can too. Even after all that’s happened, I’m still learning to trust them and myself. I want to stop running off on my own and causing problems, especially as their senior. It’s what Yume would’ve wanted out of me.”

“I’m sure she would be happy for you, no matter what hardships you experienced. She seemed kind enough to understand you on that magnitude.”

Hoshino: “..and that she was.”

I step back from the wall and quietly shift my way over to the couch as well, gently placing myself to her right. Strangely, she seems to look differently without the shadow churning her frame. She looks better with the moonlight.

“Well, we can’t really change the past, can we? All we can do is move forward in earnest. I can’t sympathize with what you guys have gone through, but I can empathize with getting over regrets. Do you think you can do that, for others and yourself?”

Hoshino shifts her gaze over to me, not startled by my updated position. Unexpectedly, she chuckles softly at the response.

Hoshino: “Man.. you talk like Sensei.”

“Ah… do I?”

Hoshino: “Very. Maybe it’s a boy’s thing.”

“Ehh.. definitely not. I think it’s just us. I’m being considerate for what I can.”

Hoshino: “Thoughts like this wash away easily when you aren’t awake to think about it.”

“Is that why you’re such a bump on a log?’

Hoshino: “Nah.. I just like sleeping.”

“Would Yume approve of how you are now?”

Hoshino: “She would’ve approved anything, though if she were here, I’m not sure if I would’ve changed so much.”

“Well, there’s always an agent to everything.”

Hoshino: “Still trying to figure out what exactly Abydos’s agent was.”

“Well, has it been getting worse?”

Hoshino: “Thankfully not, we’ve been quite peaceful recently. We’re not in any rush to pay off our debts, and we’ve seen some good fortune recently. A railway system that Yume approved of is currently in development with the cooperation of another academy, and we’ve repopulated quite a bit since my juniors came to Abydos. It’s definitely better than it was before.”

“So you do listen to their meetings.”

Hoshino: “A senior’s got to take care of her juniors.”

“You should follow your own advice more.”

Hoshino: “Well, last time I did that, they had to pump a couple dozen mags into me.”

“Yikes, not fun. Not going to ask about that one.”

Hoshino: “Hm, it’d be best if you didn’t. Trust me, you’d be overclocked if I were to explain how I was overclocked.”

“I’ll take your word for that one.”

Hoshino: “What about you? What even brings you out to Kivotos in the first place?”

“Hmm..”

What exactly am I doing in Kivotos? Sure, I’m here to potentially evolve my talents and hobbies, but everyone’s here to do that. Is there something more complex about my motivations, or am I simply here for the ride? I’ve had friends in the past with similar convictions to me, but I seemed to stand out amongst them to my peers because of something in particular. They said it was my unfiltered passion, but I always thought everyone had that.

Maybe they sent me to Kivotos because of that passion.

“My best guess would be my aspirations as a musician. If Kivotos is a world where dreams come true, even with it being only girls and animals for friends, then I’m simply trusting in my peers about their judgment of sending me here. I’m enjoying my time so far, and I learned recently that my efforts have bore fruit, but overall, it may simply be a story about proper self-actualization.”

Hoshino: “Well.. if you asked me, I think you’ll be fine.”

“I can’t say my motivations are as unparalleled as yours though. It’s hard to even consider Abydos a school with how bent your luck is sometimes.”

Hoshino: “Nobody has to compare their dreams to ours. Everyone has their own path to follow, even if it’s through blood. I’m still searching for mine, but at least I have a good idea now. If I can find a personal way to live, so can you.”

“I believe you.”

Hoshino: “You better, that’s some good advice from an old timer!”

“Hoough, what has to happen to get a personality like that?”

Hoshino: “Trauma. Lots of it.”

“And you don’t mind one bit.. do you?”

Hoshino: “A little.. but I find it fun anyways. This school history would approve of my attitude.”

“Yume would find it funny.”

Hoshino: “Honestly? She might have been scared of me if she caught me like this. I’d be damned if I behaved like this around her. I put on an excited personality once for her, and we ended up hacking away at sandstone in a dried-up oasis for a few hours in swimsuits. Couldn’t believe her sometimes.”

“What were you even doing out there anyways?”

Hoshino: “Trying to find some apparently buried fireworks with materials that ranged in the millions. Maybe it would’ve paid off our debt.”

“Right, the others didn’t seem to want to talk about that. How much do you owe anyways?”

Hoshino: “Over 900 million yen.”

“...what.”

Hoshino: “It’s not that bad if you think about it.”

“To hell with that!? That’s like seven million dollars! How rich are these schools?!”

Hoshino: “Would you believe me if I said there’s schools out there with tanks, missiles and private cities?”

“There’s no way seven million is considered pocket change in Kivotos.”

Hoshino: “To the right schools? Yeah, it likely is. Still, we stayed in Abydos to pay off our debt on our own accord, not to be bought out by some other school or have the weight carried off us. If we’re going to win, it’s going to be with our own ten hands.”

“Honorable, but have you made any progress on that?”

Hoshino: “Serika’s tried, we’ll get there eventually.”

“Eventually is an understatement.”

Hoshino: “We’ll figure it out.”

“You guys say that a lot.. don’t you?”

Hoshino: “You’re catching on quickly.”

“At this rate, you might need to go back out there and get new pickaxes.”

Hoshino: “Oh no, no, no. I’m not desperate enough to be doing THAT again.”

“Yume would be proud.”

A cheek-wide smile cracked on her face. I’m pretty sure I saw a vein twisted in her head too.

Hoshino: “Oh you better not bring her into this!”

“She’s be so proud.”

I swear I heard her teeth clench after that one.

Hoshino: “That’s it, get over here!”

She stretches over the couch with an invigorated energy I had yet to see from her, wrapping around my chest and arms with a hasty bear-hug, and surely enough I start feeling her squeeze.

“Hey, what’s the big de- AAHHHH!?!!”

There’s no way the cracking sounds I just heard weren’t my bones crunching under her strength. I knew the girls would be strong, but this was unbelievable.

“HEY, HEY! AGH, THIS HURTS!”

Hoshino: “You learned your lesson?”

“HELL YEAH I DID! I CAN’T FEEL ANYTHING!”

Hoshino: “Good!”

“...”

The feisty expression of her face drifted into mild embarrassment. She looked away from me despite hugging me.

Hoshino: “Sorry.”

Soon enough, she released her grip, allowing my body to shamelessly collapse onto her lap from the numbness. I’m pretty sure I got twisted like bubble wrap with that one, with my viscera acting as the air pockets.

Hoshino: “Ehh.. I’m too old to be a lap pillow, Alexis.”

“Oh, shut it Hoshino. You’re not doing anything about my bones.”

Hoshino: “Your bones are fine.. They’ll grow back.”

“Ain’t no way they’re growing back.”

Hoshino: “All we can do is wait and put our mistakes behind us.”

“WHO’S “OUR” ?”

Hoshino: “It’s your fault for being so compatible with the others.”

“So it’s my fault for not running away at the first opportunity?”

Hoshino: “Maybe.”

“Wow, what a senior you are. Can’t believe you’re a year or two older than me.”

Hoshino: “Be thankful you’re not an aunty like me.”

“Aunty now..?”

Hoshino: “A senior citizen has to be flexible with their numerous names.”

“I’ve got a bone to pick with this self-proclaimed senior citizen.”

Hoshino: “What bone?”

“Shut up.”

Hoshino: “Hehehe..”

We kind of just sat there for a few precious minutes, exchanging small talk while my body was flailed on her lap. Despite being a glorified granola bar, I’m satisfied with what I got to learn about Abydos today, and I was especially thankful for being able to get closer with Hoshino. Even back then, I felt like there was a repelling aura around her, but that’s long gone now.

Abydos’s history is as impressive as its misfortune. It’s rare for vultures to not get to devour their prey, and Abydos revels with that spiritual strength. It might not be a case exclusive to Abydos, but these students have very potent wills, and they’ve matured in ways I wouldn’t really expect from a city like this.

My own aspirations seem relatively weak compared to wanting to restore the legacy of an entire school, or to uphold the efforts of past classmates, but in the end this isn’t a competition. Everyone has a dream to seek out for, or at least I hope everyone has a dream to satisfy that path. Even those who’ve undergone trauma can spring back with the help of others.

Hoshino: “Hey, I should say this now.. but it’s really Ayane that’s calling the shots around here. She’s kind of both the de-jure and de-facto Abydos leader despite the first year, and I’m kind of to blame for that.”

“You didn’t disarm your own power, did you?’

Hoshino: “No, they did. It was very necessary though, I was a very unwise geezer at the time. Besides, it’s granted us a great deal of freedom. They still treat me like the chairwoman though, so titles don’t really mean much to us around here.”

“You have interesting juniors, I must say.”

Hoshino: “Always gotta look out for the young'uns.”

“Hm, you say that a lot.”

Hoshino: “Get used to it, big boy.”

“You’re older than me.”

Hoshino: “Yeah, don’t look up to your aunty like that.”

“Who said I looked up to you?’

Hoshino: “Trust me, you don’t want to look up to me.”

“But your juniors do.”

Hoshino: “They can learn a thing or two from you.”

She traces her index finger across my face, staring from my chin and slowly moving up to my forehead. With how my body is right now, I can’t describe this sensation as anything but an absolute violation. She’s got a smirk of utterly supreme satisfaction, as she tantalizingly drags her hand up and down my defenseless face.

“You have no idea how much I wish I could do something about this.”

Hoshino: “You’re fun to talk to. I didn’t think boys could be friends like this.”

“Why.. do boys not make good friends around here?”

Hoshino: “Eh, I wouldn’t know. You’re literally the only boy around here other than Sensei.”

“You don’t do this to Sensei too.. do you?”

Hoshino: “Nope, just you. You’re like a fun-sized Sensei.”

“There’s no way you just said that.”

Hoshino: “Aww.. you gonna do anything about it?”

“..I hate you.”

Hoshino: “Hehe, that’s what I thought.”

[???]: “Hey, you lovebirds. What are you doing up here?”

The alienated third voice made us snap our heads over to the doorframe, as our privacy was unceremoniously shattered.

Sure enough, the figure of a tall man was interpretable under the shadows.

“Ah.. you’re here Sensei.”

Hoshino: “Ehh.. Sensei’s here.”

“I thought you needed like.. an hour to get here?’

Sensei: “You’ve got a lot of explaining to do, young man.”

Right, I kind of ran away. I still haven’t resolved my situation with Kayoko yet, and I had completely ditched everyone in the process. Hell, what if they’re here with Sensei too?

“What time is it?”

Sensei quickly blips up a watch on his right hand.

Sensei: “10:31 PM”.

“It’s been ninety minutes?’

Sensei: “No, I was contacted about forty minutes ago. What do you mean ninety?”

“Ah.. that’s when I woke up.”

Sensei: “In what universe do you mean “woke up?””

“I uh.. I kind of got kidnapped here.”

Sensei: “I’m sorry, what?”

“It’s a long story… well not really. Shiroko found me at the front gate, and she hit my head on the stairway ceiling hard enough to knock me out for a good few hours. She’s not entirely at fault though, I did walk the entire way here.”

Sensei: “You ran THAT far off? We were searching the entire district for you! Why would you run towards the suburbs?”

“I didn’t even run, I just kind of walked off aimlessly. I probably walked for an hour or two before finding my way here, but honestly I don’t remember.”

Sensei: “There’s no way that was comfortable. I had a horrible time trying to make my way here on my first day, Shiroko had to pick me up!”

“I guess we’re on the same page.”

Sensei: “No, I don’t think so. I ALLOWED her to guide me to Abydos. She KIDNAPPED you!”

“Why, I thought this was a normal occurrence?”

Sensei: “Shiroko is anything but normal.”

Hoshino: “Can agree.”

“I guess I’m a special case then.”

Sensei: “Anyways.. what are you two even doing up here? Did you want some private time with each other?”

“..why did you phrase it like that?”

Sensei: “Do you not see what you’re doing right now?”

Let’s think. I’m here alone with Hoshino, we’re both sitting on the couch. My head’s on her lap, which wasn’t my fault, and we’re just talking with each other to pass the time. We did plan on going on that stage earlier, but honestly I had forgotten due to how much time we’ve spent here. Maybe it’s that?

“I.. forgot about what the other students had planned?”

The man planted a huge facepalm on his face in response. Guess I was wrong.

Sensei: “How should I put this? Arona, how would you put it?”

“Who’s Arona?”

Sensei steps over towards us and pulls out a fairly large tablet from his coat, and surprise surprise, there’s a small girl with short-blue hair and an umbrella-like rifle. I have no idea what the background is meant to be, but I’m seeing a half-collapsed classroom with a humongous stack of seats piled on the corner, all spanned in an endless ocean.

Arona: “Sensei, you didn’t tell me you were fostering student relationships. It’s been less than a day, and you’ve already hooked him up?”

Some kind of assistant Sensei has on the tablet? Honestly, I shouldn’t be surprised anymore. What mattered more was that fact that I somehow completely failed to interpret how compromising my position is right now. Am I getting too comfortable around these girls?

Sensei: “No, Arona! That is NOT what happened!”

Arona: “Looks like it to me! You’ve got a new favorite hobby, Sensei! At least it’s not expensive!”

Sensei: “Oh, you brat..”

“Sensei? What’s that?”

My head’s still resting on Hoshino’s lap, but I still have the strength to point at the transient tablet.

Sensei: “Ah, I guess I haven’t revealed her yet. Alexis, meet Arona! She’s a high-performance AI who serves as the OS of this lovely tool; the Shittim Chest. She’s been with me for as long as I’ve been in Kivotos. Say hi.”

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Arona.”

Arona: “Nice to meet you too Alexis! Though, I will say, I don’t see you in any of Kivotos’s records. Are you from here?”

“No, I’m not. I transferred here as a second-year.”

Arona: “Maybe that’s why. Did the GSC keep you a secret from us?’

“I don’t see any reason for them to. Maybe it’s because I registered as a citizen rather than a student?”

Arona: “Maybe, maybe! I’ll look into it, okay Sensei?”

Sensei: “Sure, whatever you say.”

[???]: “Hey, let me help out too, Arona.”

Another girl of the same height, but with a black sailor uniform and long-white hair appeared on the Shittim Chest as well. She seemed to be out of frame when Arona was first introduced, but she ran into the camera as well.

“You’ve got two of them, Sensei?”

Sensei: “Right, right. Alexis, meet Plana! Think of her as another version of Arona. She’s fairly new to the Shittim Chest, but she has been of great help. Plana, say hi.”

Plana: “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Alexis. Welcome to Kivotos.”

Her voice was much softer than Arona’s, perhaps even more mature? She seemed more hollow than her bright counterpart, but she had a fervor in her attitude as well.

“Nice to meet you as well, Plana.”

Plana: “Sensei, we’ll be shutting off for today. We’ll come back with results tomorrow morning.”

Sensei: “Alright, sounds good girls. Remember to sleep.”

Arona: “Hey! It’s our job to say that, you insomniac!”

Sensei: “You know how much work I have to do?!”

Arona: “Of course! That’s no excuse for slacking and being late!”

Sensei: “Ugh.. to be scolded by kids. Reminds me too much of a certain pigtailed girl.”

And with that, the tablet blips out of light as it shuts down to an ordinary black-screen. Sensei pockets the tablet back into his coat, accompanied by a hefty sigh.

Sensei: “As goofy as they are, they’ve saved my life several times, both figuratively and literally. They’ve done everything they could for me.”

“They’re like very dedicated children of yours, Sensei.”

Sensei: “Heh, you can say that. Anyways, what were you two doing while we were gone?’

Hoshino: “Ehh.. we were just talking.”

Sensei: “About what? You don’t usually come here to talk, or at all. I thought you wanted to keep this room closed?”

Hoshino: “Well, I did..  but I decided to be a good senior and be more open about my history as an Abydos student. Would you say that was the right move, Sensei?”

Sensei: “Hoshino, I can’t dictate what you should always do, but that kind of decision is up to you. You’re the master of your own life, you just need to remember that you're not alone.”

Hoshino: “Oh trust me, I got that lesson pounded into me already.”

Sensei: “I’m happy to hear you acknowledge that.”

She carried off that question for me like a champion. What a dependable senior.

Sensei: “Any reason in particular why Alexis is getting such generous treatment from this old timer?”

Hoshino looks down at me with her orange and blue eyes.

Hoshino: “I crunched him like a water bottle by accident. He’s just kind of like this now.”

“I don’t have a halo, Hoshino. You could’ve killed me.”

Hoshino: “Well, this old timer can control herself.”

Sensei: “Really?’

Hoshino: “At least now, I can.”

They probably experienced that recent catastrophe together.

“About earlier Sensei.. I’m sorry. I didn’t know what I was thinking.”

Sensei: “It’s okay, you don’t have to blame yourself Alexis. I spoke with Kayoko about it before we started looking for you, so I’m caught up.”

“Ah.. you are..?”

Sensei: “Yeah.. though I’m not one to judge what you want to do with your life, regardless if you’re that kind of person or not.”

“What happened with Kayoko?”

Sensei: “I’ve never seen her so down. She was exceedingly unhappy with what she did.”

“Wow, she was? I didn’t think it was too big of a deal in hindsight, I thought I was just being scared.”

Sensei: “No, she’s guilty for pressuring you like that. She actually came here with me, as well as the rest of Problem Solver 68. From what she told me, you’re somewhat familiar with who they are now.”

“She’d be right, I know a bit now. Not too much though. Maybe if I stuck around, I would’ve learned more about it.”

Hoshino: “Well, you coming here did open a new path. Honestly, it’s kind of a breath of fresh air with you around here.”

“Well, it was rather nonconsensual, but I’m quite satisfied with how it turned out as well. I’d definitely visit again eventually.”

Hoshino: “Maybe the railway will be finished by the time you come back. It should extend long enough to come here from any point in the desert.”

“Definitely better than an hour-long walk.”

Sensei: “I second that statement.”

He shut his eyes and nodded furiously.

Hoshino: “Still, I think you’re enjoying our company a little too much. You were like a baby in Nonomi’s lap earlier.”

“I was? I just let her do what she wanted, I still kept up the conversation in earnest.”

Hoshino: “You’re truthful about that, though you consented rather quickly.”

“It was 9 PM, I had just woken up from getting my head bonked, I didn’t really care what happened to me as long as I could get my mind off of it.”

Hoshino: “You just let me poke at you for half an hour on the couch. This old-timer might be your senior, but she’s not your aunty.”

“Hey.. that goes against what you said before.”

Hoshino: “Want to try me?”

“...”

Sensei: “Seems that you guys have gotten rather close. Is the rest of Abydos on the same page?”

“I think so.. yeah. Hoshino, what do you think?”

Hoshino: “Oh, don’t worry about it, Alexis. The other girls like you too. You don’t need to worry about a thing. If I wasn’t as careful, maybe they’d even try to register you as an Abydos student. Imagine that, the sixth member of the Foreclosure Task Force! It’d be monumental!”

“Oh, no way. Count me out, there’s no way I can do what you guys do. I’m happy at my apartment.”

Hoshino: “Aw, worth a shot. Maybe Shiroko would’ve had a better chance.”

“Count me out, squared.”

Hoshino: “Party-pooper.”

Sensei: “Anyways..!”

The supposed-to-be mentor breaks the conversation with a thrusty statement.

Sensei: “Alexis, the others are waiting for you. I actually found them first before you, and they’re confused as to why you aren’t here either. From what they’ve said ,everything’s set up now, but you didn’t come down along with Hoshino. They suspected you two were up to something.”

Hoshino: “Really? They think Alexis would hang out with this old geezer?”

“..that’s quite literally what we did.”

Hoshino: “I’m flattered they think so highly of me as their upperclassman.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Sensei: “Should we get going now? Or rather.. Alexis, can you get going?”

“I can try..”

With trepidation, I try to lift my head off of Hoshino’s lap, as the nerve cells in my muscles respond back to me for the first time in a while. I feel a slight sting across my abdomen and elbows, but overall it’s manageable. Eventually, I’m able to sit upright and shuffle back into my feet, leaving Hoshino sitting on the couch.

I walk over to Sensei’s side, and he leans down to whisper something in my ear.

Sensei: “We’ll discuss what happened later, okay? I promise you, everything turned out alright.”

“It’s alright, Sensei. I trust Kayoko.”

Sensei: “She’s a good girl, and a great friend. I’m sure you two will be fine.”

“I’m faithful in that regard.”

I turn back to look at the pinkette, still quietly sitting on the right side of that red couch, staring ahead.

“You coming, Hoshino?”

She’s gazing at the same photograph placed on the table.

Hoshino: “I’ll be on the way in a moment. Go have fun, Alexis.”

“If you say so.”

Sensei and I walked side-by-side back out of the council room, but looking back at Hoshino, she seemed to reminisce about the photograph silently, as if she were paying respects to Yume. She wasn’t anguished anymore, at least. Maybe if it were in the past, she would be more unstable about it, but it seems that recent events have brought her back to sanity.

Hoshino: “Thank you.”

She niftily slides the photograph back into the box she withdrew it from, sealing the tape above it as well. With that, she finally sits up from the couch, putting an end to our hearty interaction.

Hoshino: “Now.. let’s see what you’ve got, Alexis. Strike some energy into this school.”

“I’ll certainly try.”

And with that, the battered door that guards the sacred council room creaks back into place, with the silent clicking of the broken lock as faint footsteps drift down the hall.

Chapter Text

Minutes have elapsed, as Sensei and I descended through the halls and stairs to the first floor. Once again, I find myself in the lobby, the same lobby that Shiroko blitzed after gracefully sweeping me off my feet. It was a new experience, being able to see this room properly after that ordeal.

The ceiling was lower than expected, likely the standard 8-10 feet. The entrance was streaked with glass panes, and a sliding glass door that has been long-since breached of its autonomy. They’re as open as my guard was this afternoon at that titular gate.

Cubic pillars were erected to guide a clear path outside; a simple, yet unoccupied receptionist desk facing the entrance to greet those that arrived. There wasn’t anything too notable about this room, other than its unusually compact layout.

I knew something felt wrong about this whole picture.

This doesn’t seem like the kind of building that would house an exceptional quantity of students.

“Sensei, if I may ask, does this building seem too small? I can’t imagine thousands of students coming through here every day.”

A second or two passed, as he contemplated how to answer. He kept facing the broken sliding door, as if recalling past events.

Sensei: “This isn’t actually the main annex building, but rather a campus-sector specifically for the Abydos Student Council as a whole. You can see why the remaining students upheld it as their base of operations.”

The entire council contained in this building? Normally you’d have a room or two, but Abydos must have been busted to have this much privilege.

“Every one of those rooms was for the council?”

Sensei: “Primarily meeting rooms and drills, but that’s correct. All council-related agendas were hosted in this building. I was initially not going to explain the following information, but since Hoshino trusted you enough to bring you to that particular room, it should be okay to disclose this.”

Speaking of Hoshino, I turned, expecting to see the aloof pinkette again, only to be met with the hollow glow of the moonlight hitting the stairs, and the very noticeable absence of a third party member.

“Where did she go?”

Sensei turned as well, reviewing the dots I had just connected.

Sensei: “Hmm, must’ve gone off somewhere to sleep tonight. She does that a lot, her clubmates are used to it. She practically lives in this school.”

“What about the others? Do they sleep here too?”

Sensei: “No, they’re different. They maintain their own homes in the nearby suburbs.”

“By themselves?”

Sensei: “They’re incredibly resourceful., I couldn’t believe it myself either.”

“Wow.”

I guess maintaining a home is trivial when your entire highschool life is oriented around keeping a deserted school from drowning.

Sensei: “As I was saying, the room she showed you was the last room that was in operation. If you know who Yume is, well she and Hoshino remained in Abydos after everyone fled.. at least until Nonomi and Shiroko arrived as the new first years. I’ll be frank, the room’s a relic of memories, it’s basically her sanctuary. I’m wholeheartedly surprised she showed it to you.”

Was the room that important? It was as dusty as the rest of the school, other than the precious items Hoshino stored. Ah, that’s likely it.

Sensei: “I guess she’s started to open up. She seemed comfortable with being personal around you. It could be because Abydos doesn’t get many visitors, but inherently, I think it’s because you were a trustworthy friend.”

“I’m still getting used to others as well, but I wasn’t expecting her to have trauma over death, of all topics. She seems to be handling it quite well now, as far as I’ve witnessed.”

Sensei: “Well, events did happen recently that reshaped her attitude. All I can do is hope she’s doing better now. If she’s comfortable with explaining her sacred history, then I’m sure she’s okay. It’s a stark development from how she was when it all started.”

It was meant to be a short distance from the stairs to the doors, but with how much we were talking, it took us a minute or two to actually exit the annex building. The haloed sky is as luminous as it was when I first witnessed it a month ago.

Speaking of which, could I see the room from here?

I leap forward into the weeded soil and spun to get a clear-cut view of the council building again. Sure enough, I see a landscape-window as open as the entrance below it, four floors above. It’s the same window the five of us assembled in an hour ago.

“Sensei, see that open window up there?”

Sensei: “One moment.”

He steps forward in long strides next to me on the bricked path, and too gazes up at the window. I almost forgot how tall he was when I first met him, he caught up embarrassingly quickly with his bigger legs. I point at the window with a hasty index finger.

“That’s the room I woke up in.”

Sensei: “That’s where Shiroko left… ugghh~ , that girl’s something else..”

He narrows his eyes, crossing his arms in front of him. His clothes and coat were drifting like when we first met, only this time he’s no longer looking at me. Maybe he’d look good in a photo like this.

Though as of now, there’s more important topics to contemplate..

As much as I wish to pocket this problem, I can’t ignore what’s been gnawing at me this entire day. It’s time I account for how I behaved.

“Sensei, can I speak to you, before we meet with the others? There’s something important I have to discuss.”

His attention breaks to look down to me with a tranquil expression. The glasses seem to give him a more gratified appearance.

Sensei: “Of course, Alexis. Let’s sit over here.”

He gestures at a lone wooden bench to the left of the entrance, right in front of a cubic hedge. I’m sitting on the right as he’s on the left, collecting his hands on his lap.

It really is just the two of us here, even after all that’s happened. The other girls are likely in some other building, or maybe even outside. I hadn’t considered if the stage was outside, but wherever it may be, they’ll work with what they have. Thoughts aside, It’s satisfyingly peaceful out here. If what Ayane said back there was true, it’s something to get used to in Abydos.

Even with that assurance however, I’m hesitant to start. The violet blanket above can’t calm the butterflies in my stomach. I thought I had overcome this vacillation; this habit of uncertainty, but it’s a behavior you can’t really quell.

Still, I muster the strength to state.

“I’m.. sorry for running away.”

I might be timid at times, but acting on instinct does help with overcoming doubt. I look to Sensei to see how he reacts, and he silently responds with a softer expression. I think I upended what he had in mind at that moment.

“I know now that I should’ve come to you instead of acting on my feelings. You had to spend a lot of time to find me again, and I’m sure I left the other girls in a disarray as well. It was unapologetically unreasonable, and Kayoko hadn’t done anything wrong to incentivize such a reaction. I know she’s a good friend, but I still reacted immaturely.”

He patiently processes my apology with consideration, waiting for me to collect myself and finish what I have to say. I’m not sure what he thinks of me at this point, whether he’s been comforting me as a means to an end, but I want our relationship to be at least honest.

I trust Sensei to a significant degree, but it’s still strange being vulnerable around people you know, even if I’ve only known him for a day. Is it possible this is how other students feel around him sometimes?

I’m sure it’s not every day when someone he considers his student apologizes for something they did. I can trust him to be understanding, but I can’t trust myself to be forgiven. That’s simply how these matters are.

Though with how he gently planted his arm around my back, I’m not sure if I can keep that suppressive mentality up. He gently shifts his position closer to me, casually embracing me to ensure I hear his next words.

Sensei: “Alexis, you’re a good kid.”

Huh? I’m not sure where he’s going with that, but I don’t have anything to say back. I think it’s the first time I’ve ever been spoken to like this.

Sensei: “I’m grateful to know that you’re considerate about how others feel, as well as how you are a person. That’s a trait I don’t see in everyone, even with the amount of care I put into each of you. You don’t need to be sorry for running away, it was a justified reaction. Sure, it may have been nice to bond with you without issues, but that’s simply not how the world works. There’s always an issue or two that has to be resolved to find peace.”

Sensei: “You are exceptional, in many ways. You’re perceptive about yourself and the world around you, and you’re especially considerate of others too. Even with such little experience, you’ve matured to an amazing degree by yourself.”

“How did you know about that? I always kept my thoughts to myself.”

Sensei: “You tend to pause in real time in moments. I haven’t seen this behavior often in other students, but I know from experience what deep thought looks like. You’re always interpreting what you know, and building your understanding of everything to react appropriately. In a sense, you’re like a machine.”

“I.. didn’t think it was that obvious.”

I slightly press my lips at the remark, mildly embarrassed for being read that easily.

Sensei: “Do you often think about why you think in certain ways?”

I think I have, though I’ve never really defined that kind of intelligence. I’ve always attempted to decipher what kind of person I was, and what I do intrinsically to achieve such ideas. Why would something like this be exceptional?

“I do, quite frequently. I’m always trying to figure out why I’m the person I am today, and why my way of thinking has designed me like this.”

Sensei: “Would you believe me, if I said that kind of mentality was rare?”

What? Surely not.

“That can’t be right, I always thought everyone needed to do this. I didn’t know too many people before I came to Kivotos, but surely this isn’t out of the ordinary.”

I can’t conceive the idea of people not being overly self-aware about their own actions. Sure, there’s stupid people out there, but for most people who aren’t malicious or reckless, I’d assume they’d think about their own lives as a whole.

Sensei: “Take it as someone who’s worked with hundreds of students. In a world driven by impulse and simple dreams, you’re an outlier. Not everyone has the capacity to commit to deep thinking like you.”

“Seriously? That doesn’t sound great.”

Sensei: “Well, it’s not everyday you witness someone being this introspective.”

“Huh.. that’s something to take in.”

Sensei: “..and it’s that mentality that enforces my opinion of you, as well as my understanding of who you are as a person.”

“What do you think of me, Sensei?”

Unlike before, he doesn’t halt with what to say next. It rolls off the tongue as smoothly as a comet fires across the sky.

Sensei: “It’s why I think you’re an accepting, and importantly favorable person.”

“Favorable?”

He rests a hand on my head, lightly shuffling my hair as he addresses his next statements. I might have been wearing a rather bewildered expression. His hand’s bigger than I thought it would be. Maybe I’m not too used to contact like this.

Sensei: “Rooting back to what I said before, you think about people to an optimistic extent. Despite fleeing from discomfort, you understood what happened in a retrospective manner; from the kind of person Kayoko was, to how you likely appeared to others at that moment, as well as actions you could have taken to prevent it.”

I certainly did do that, but I thought anyone would do this. It shouldn’t be unusual for people to reflect on their actions.

Sensei: “What I found interesting was that you modeled it based on your own mistakes. To you, Kayoko was an innocent person you ran away from, and you were also guilty of abandoning me, knowing the stress of what would come next.”

In hindsight, I used Abydos as a distractor from what was coming next. I didn’t want to dwell on it, or the newfound popularity I discovered.

“Everything I tried with the Abydos girls was to lay my mind off of it. I wanted to do something redeeming, even if I’d have to wait for my chance.”

Sensei: “I heard all about it from them. They messaged me quite frequently over the past hour or two while you were with Hoshino. They find you rather fun to be around.”

They were talking about me? I guess it’s not that unbelievable to consider, but I’m pleased they found me interesting to an extent.

“That’s.. nice to hear. Still, it was just to dodge the shame of what happened before. I didn’t want to feel guilty for leaving you behind.”

Sensei: “From what I see, it’s not just that you avoided blaming others, it’s also how collected you were after the fallout. Even after running away, you found solace in a place you could peacefully work with.”

That’s how he interpreted this? It’s possible I was simply too complacent with how everything had gone.

“Well, the girls were welcoming about the whole situation. I didn’t want to repeat what happened back at Shiba’s, so I was transparent with my identity. Maybe I was scared of repeating my mistakes.”

As far as I could tell, they’re likely the best friends I have right now. They were patient with me and allowed me to open without any pressure. It was that dynamic that opened up our relationship.

Sensei: “Did you see the girls as both an opportunity to evolve, and to expand?”

“I guess you could put it that way.”

Sensei: “..and it wasn’t just to be productive, it was also to simply make friends for the first time, right?”

“That’s true as well, I wanted to have a proper relationship for once. I got off to a rocky start, but Abydos was like a do-over.”

Sensei: “I’m not sure if I know anyone that could’ve resolved themselves the way you did today. Most people would’ve refrained from being themselves out of guilt. Even I likely would have behaved that way. You changed your mentality so efficiently, it’s almost unbelievable.”

“I’m not the kind of person to drive down a given opportunity, even if it arrives in unusual manners.”

Sensei: “You responded to that opportunity to the best of your ability, ending up with a pure experience unaffected by this afternoon. It takes incredible patience and introspection to do that.”

“Perhaps that is something special.”

Sensei: “That’s why I find your attitude as a student so appraisable. I don’t mind at all that you ran away, if it meant I got to learn more about you as a person. Granted, it would have been preferable if you said something, since Kivotos is rather unpredictable, but in the end it worked out. You’re safe, and you’re better than you were this morning.”

“Was I being optimistic about others, or was I simply trying to be nice?”

Sensei: “It could be a mixture of both. You tend to direct fault towards yourself, and you don’t want that shame to stain your mood.”

“I wasn’t sure if my lack of gloom was because of Abydos, or because I simply forgot about it.”

Sensei: “You invested your identity in Abydos as a way to partially make up for it. Even if you think now that it was to simply forget, that was your original idea.”

It’s weird having someone else piece together my thoughts like this, especially since it’s the first time I’m really laying out my mind on the table. Sensei seems to be rather adept at understanding others, even if he considers me an anomaly.

“All of this connects back to me being accepting and favorable, right?”

Sensei: “Precisely. It’s your gradual, methodical approach to life that allowed you to bring the most out of today, and that makes your personality favorable, both to you, and for others. People feel comfortable around you because you don’t wear your concerns, and you learn how to behave around others quickly because of how much you think about your appearance and actions.”

“..still, this isn’t an excuse for what happened this afternoon. Even if this is the kind of person I am, it didn’t help me in urgency.”

Sensei: “Trust me, no person is suited for the unexpected. It’s what makes us human, even in a world like Kivotos. All you can do is learn and evolve from your experiences, and you’re remarkably capable of doing that.”

“So in the end, you’re okay with me because I learned from it?”

Sensei: “Exactly. You’ll find an opportunity to properly introduce yourself to the Problem Solvers soon enough, and I’m confident that you and Kayoko will be good friends. Trust me, Kayoko wasn’t too happy with how she sent you off. She came all the way here with me to get a chance at an apology.”

“I’ll make sure to talk with her again. I’d like to apologize as well.”

I stare at the sand below my feet, sinking into the insight I discovered from this conversation.

Sensei: “Besides, I’m sure she’s interested in you for more than just what you might be. Music artist or not, she seemed to enjoy your politeness. It’s possible she was teasing you because she wasn’t sure how to react around a male student, especially since no student in Kivotos might have one either. She’s saddened over how she treated you.”

Right, Sensei doesn’t know about my hobbies.

I remember how impish Kayoko’s emotions were when that whole situation went down. She felt like a completely different person from when I first witnessed her walking up to the ramen stand. It did feel like she was out of character with how she was around me, though at the time I laid it on the idea that she was part of a mischievous friend group for a reason.

Regardless, if Sensei thought it was out of character too, then perhaps it really was just a spur of the moment.

Still, do I tell him about the song too?

Sensei: “On the surface though, I’m thankful you don’t resent her, even if it was justified. I know for a fact she’s a reserved person at heart, and she’s always been the most mature amongst her friends. I still think about why she’s part of the Problem Solvers in the first place, but it likely comes down to her either preferring independence in Gehenna, or it boiling down to her friends simply being nice to be around.”

“Are the other Solvers here as well, or is it just Kayoko?”

Sensei: “All four are here, I offered to bring them back to Shiratori. They know how to get back to Gehenna from there, since that’s the school they all go to. You know firsthand how big Abydos is, especially since they came here on a one-way trip due to financial complications.”

I rest my head on my palm in consideration.

“Maybe I can offer a piece.”

Sensei: “Totally up to you, though as self-proclaimed outlaws, they like doing things on their own. I find it fun and admirable, so I don’t provide aid if they don’t want me to. Kids will be kids.”

He chuckles mildly at the thought. He’s pretty used to the chaotic dynamic of Kivotos, or at least the more unruly aspects of it. I guess something like this pales in comparison to something like a city-wide catastrophe.

“I do have a concern though. What if all of this is just a survival-mechanism I developed?”

Sensei turns back to me, breaking from how he’s been staring ahead throughout this entire session.

Sensei: “I think I know what you mean by that. Can you elaborate?”

“Sometimes, I wonder if I’m simply good at sounding thoughtful while not actually, well, being it. It’s as if I had trained myself to think like this because it’s flexible, not because it’s who I am.”

Sensei: “That could be possible, but people will grow into what they need to be. Considering this is how you’ve operated, even before coming to Kivotos, it’s possible it really is simply how you are. Everyone is defined by what they consider best to live by.”

“Do you think I’ve changed, or that I’m simply pretending to change? Is this just an attempt to move fast enough so the past doesn’t catch up?”

Sensei: “Hmm, I have a feeling a recent encounter made you think this way.”

Wow, he actually deducted that.

“Hoshino, right? I’m sure you’re aware of her history.”

Sensei: “Most certainly now, especially after the most recent Abydos-related incident. I’m surprised I hadn’t learned about her past until two months ago. It definitely left a blindspot in my perception of her.”

“Seeing her, it made me question if I was really authentic or not. What if I was living a fabricated lifestyle, like how she attempted to cope with what happened before her third year?”

Sensei: “I think the best way to picture that, is to simply examine it on the surface. Do you think your relationship with Abydos is fabricated?”

“No.. definitely not. It was very real, I recognized their kindness, and my whole approach towards them was so I could simply be myself without having to put up a guard.”

Sensei: “In that case, I’m sure the person you were today was very real. What do you think?”

I can’t agree simply because it was him that said it, even if he understands me this much. Overall, he’s likely correct. Even if I’m complex to this magnitude, you can’t design everything about your life. 

There are behaviors and events that simply come naturally, and my experience with Abydos was one of those.

“I’m not just sure, I know it was real. I’m confident that I’m not putting up a front. It was my intention to not put one up in the first place.”

Sensei: “Now that’s your maturity showing. It’s as I said, you’re a good kid with a lot to learn, even if you learn and process your life differently than others. That’s why I’m sure you’ll be great in Kivotos.”

“I appreciate what you’ve done for me, Sensei. I really am.”

Sensei: “I’m also thankful for being able to speak to you as well, Alexis. It’s been some time since I’ve been able to think about someone this critically, so it’s good to organize my thoughts like this. I’m thankful you’re such a unique person.”

“Then maybe we’re more alike than I thought; searching for understanding through other people.”

Sensei: “Perhaps so. You think it’s a boy’s thing?”

“Maybe, though we could just be weird in our own right.”

Sensei: “That’s probably more accurate.”

“Touche.”

For the first time in a while, we simply sit there without saying anything, absorbing all that’s come to be known on this bench, letting the natural sounds of the Abydos evening drift back into focus.

Sensei: “Alexis.”

“Yes, Sensei?”

I set that a bit faster than I was hoping for. Oops.

Sensei: “Whatever happens, just be yourself, okay? Even if you live flexibly and fluidly, don’t lose the part of you that makes you feel alive. I’m proud of what you’ve accomplished, even if we’ve known each other for less than a day. It’s not just me that wants to see you succeed, I’m sure the others have the same sentiment. Can you promise me that?”

With how educational this diagnostic conversation was, I can answer with full clarity.

“I promise, Sensei. I won’t let you down, I won’t let the others down, and I won’t let myself down. I’ll take on the path I find with pride.”

Strangely, I feel like I’m beaming with how well I executed that last statement. I’ve made a declaration, a proper one. This might be one of the greatest steps I’ve taken in my life so far, and I’m elated to see how quickly I’ve resolved myself.

Sensei gives me the biggest smile he’s offered yet, as if he was relieved of an underlying worry.

Sensei: “Attaboy.”

I let out a hefty exhale, allowing my anxiety to drift from my soul into the windy rapture.

After what seemed like an eternity of introspection, Sensei finally stands upright from the bench, exiting our little bubble to re-enter the real world again. He pulls his left arm upwards, stretching his muscles for what’s to come next.

Sensei: “Alright, shall we get moving then?”

“Right behind you.”

For the second time today, we’re walking together on a lonely path. We crossed through the courtyard, passing by the main entrance, and made a left turn to pass between the council building and an adjacent building, until eventually we emerged from the back.

I found a scene that instantly overhauled my perception of the school’s architecture. We stepped onto a sidewalk that merged into a wide, concrete boardwalk, with partitioned grass plots erecting tall and short palm trees, tall enough to be seen over the roofs of the buildings.

The view of the campus grew even more impressive as we walked further along the walkways. The boardwalks branched out in gentle arcs, with acres peppered with the sleek, modernist lines of steel and glass buildings. Only some areas of the school were actually lit up, with numerous street lights having broken a long time ago, but the academy still felt like a living blueprint.

I thought the school was fairly outdated because of how the council building looked, but it’s possible it was only like that as a way to preserve the school’s history. It’s likely that the rest of the school evolved, while that building in particular remained stagnant. Maybe Abydos’s students simply liked it that way.

Every now and then, we’d pass by clusters of benches and tables, often nestled beside student centers or under wide canopies, like artificial trees blocking the ruthless sun from the students below. I can only imagine how alive each area must have been during its prime.

We’d occasionally pass by standard trash-bins, and at some point I took a detour to look inside one of them. The trash-cans always came in pairs when it came to compost or recyclables, which was a nice touch. Inside, I noticed that the contents of the bins were respective to their designated spots, though the surprising detail was that there was still trash here to begin with.

This trash must have been here for months. It’s likely nobody ever cleaned them out ever since the desertification. Still, it’s possible they were disciplined up until the very end.

Occasionally, we’d walk up a flight of stairs, recognizing that the school was built on some kind of elevation. I’m not sure if the school was sand all the way through, but it must not have been a total desert, considering the dirt. Regardless, the sheer size of the school grew increasingly apparent as we got higher and higher, until eventually it felt as if I was starting at the apex of a modern college campus.

At the top was a large flat acre with a central school building even more imposing than the council. It must have been one of the main facilities, which was strange, considering the council building in comparison seemed like an off-shoot domain compared to this. The same sun-centered triangle logo was here as well, overseeing the entire school as if it were the sun itself.

If I didn’t know any better, I’d think I was in some kind of miniature city. I can see school-malls in the distance, as well as cafes and research buildings, all with varying depths and designs. 

I could even see enormous fountains erected in areas where the boardwalks converged randomly, albeit they were devoid of that ethereal water I’d hoped to see. It was the first time I’ve seen a location of this scale, and it was staggering. 

I can’t fathom the kind of memories that may have generated in this school’s history.

It was like an acropolis, with the city on the hill and the urban outskirts. It wasn’t moist and green, but rather dry and tropical. It wasn’t as advanced as the other schools, but it was amazingly naturalistic. It was absolutely befitting of a school that was once considered the greatest.

This didn’t look like the other schools with their laser-focused themes. It wasn’t medieval, or religious, or futuristic.

It was something rare in Kivotos. It was normal. A prosperous, defining normality.

If I were assigned into any school, and I’d want a laid back lifestyle in a mellow, sleek institution, I’d love to live here. This kind of campus breeds emotions of comfort and awe.

..and yet, it was so still.

It was far too quiet, deafeningly quiet. Not quite dead, but it felt paused.

The trees drifted in the endless wind, and shrubs were knocked around by the same forces. The air was filled with the chirping of crickets, and the only notable sounds throughout this journey were the clicking of our shoes against the pavement.

It was bittersweet, and saddening. It was such a stunning campus.

..how could anyone ever leave it behind?

I bring my thoughts back to the real world, retracting from the trance that the school’s campus had left me. I look over at Sensei, and he’s gazing over the campus as well.

Sensei: “It’s a handsome academy, isn’t it?”

“Undeniably. It feels so close to home, way more than the other places in Kivotos.”

Sensei: “We’re both outsiders, so I can relate to that. I miss this kind of urbanization, back when times were simpler. Crazy to think this is considered simple now, right?”

“I totally get it. Honestly, I would have enjoyed being a student here. Crazy to think highschoolers would get to enjoy luxuries like this.”

Sensei: “I wish I could’ve seen what this school was like. When I came to Kivotos, it was already like this. The girls put an extraordinary amount of effort into keeping this place alive.”

“It’s as if the fallout happened yesterday.”

Sensei: “Abydos has definitely seen better days, but I’m sure one day we’ll bring it back. One way or another, we’ll design its revolution.”

“I hope I’m there to see it.”

I turn away from the landscape to get a better look at the colossal building in front of me. Built before the entrance was a huge foundation, almost as wide as the council building itself. It was one of those hierarchical fountains, where water emerged from the highest tap and descended down levels of walls and bowls, but it seemed rather unusual. It didn’t have any discernible features from down here. 

It seemed too big, as if I wasn’t meant to view it from down here.

“Sensei, what is this fountain?”

Sensei: “Ah, this. From what the FTF has told me, it’s the biggest standing fountain on campus. It looks weird from down here, but if you look at it from above, you’ll see why it looks like this.”

“Are the girls in there?”

Sensei: “They are, or at least I hope they still are. I arrived from the east-side of the school, so I came here first after noticing the lights were active. They were using some rooms that haven’t been utilized in a while, and they told me it was for you. Though, they were complaining about whether or not the equipment would be good enough.”

“I guess the cat’s out of the bag, then.”

Surely he already knows about my identity then. Why else would the girls be setting up musical equipment and a stage? It's clear as day now, and I can’t undo what he saw.

Sensei: “I’m sorry, I didn’t plan on talking to you about it until you were ready. From how Kayoko put it, it was a sensitive topic.”

He centered his focus towards me, crossing his arms behind his back.

“Well, with all that’s happened, it doesn’t bother me that much. Besides, you would have to find out, eventually.”

Sensei: “Why did you decide to keep it a secret?”

..why did I decide to keep it a secret?

“I think.. It was to simply preserve my presence. I likely thought about it to a great extent. I’m a male student, I don’t know anyone, and I don’t have a halo. Though above all, I think I was simply nervous about the thought of being recognized. Maybe I liked the comfort of anonymity.”

Sensei: “That’s understandable. There’s a certain comfort that comes with being able to do what you love with a mask on.”

He steps forward to stand beside me again.

“I think at the time, it was because I wanted to be recognized for my work and creativity, over anything else. I know that being a male artist in Kivotos is exceptional in itself, but I still wanted some semblance of merit with my identity online.”

Sensei: “Well, from how people have been reacting to it online, would you say you’ve accomplished that?”

“I believe I have, but I’ll need to properly investigate my status online. My first song was unexpectedly successful, and I need to determine why.”

Sensei: “You can think about that tomorrow, if you want. That might be best, given what you’ve gone through today.”

“..what do you think of my talent, Sensei?”

I was hoping for some kind of closure from him again, since I was once again unsure of how he perceived me, despite how much he melted it down earlier. My personality and my hobbies are two separate aspects about me, and they were likely to evoke different opinions.

Sensei: “To be frank? You’re astounding. I’ve never guided a musician before, but I was amazed by how much you’ve accomplished by yourself.”

I took a seat again, but this time on a concrete railing at the top of the stairs leading up to the fountain.

“Do you think I have what it takes to capitalize on this success?”

Sensei: “Now that is an answer only you can give. Everything that happens from this point comes down to what you wish to do in Kivotos. No matter what decision you make though, I’ll be with you to ensure it’s seen through to the very end.”

“I promised Abydos that I’d make another song. Serika in particular, she was very stoked by the idea. Apparently she was a daily listener of mine, despite the song only being two days old.”

Sensei: “I could see why that would happen. She’s always working with part-time jobs and financial opportunities, always indulging in labor to assist Abydos’s finances. You likely lit a fire in her heart.”

“If that’s true, I’m happy I was able to encourage her, especially with the predicament Abydos is in. I never thought I’d be able to make someone so happy.”

Sensei: “You’ve likely done the same for thousands of people as well. With how highly rated and appraised your presence online is, you’ve branded everyone with your contagious positivity.”

“I just wish I could match the energy I bring to my songs. I think too much, I worry too much, and I’m not as straight-forward as my lyrics imply.”

Sensei: “Perhaps in a sense, you designed that song as a way to lift yourself up. Do you like what you’ve created?”

Unlike before, I don’t need a stop-word to water down my opinion.

“I do, to an enormous extent. It’s the best creation I’ve designed so far, far better than what I curated before coming to Kivotos. It’s simple, because I wanted it to be universally appealing. Something to play on a dime on a good day.”

Sensei: “Oh, you have no idea how accurate of a prediction that was. Would you believe me if I said I played your song on loop yesterday, for hours?”

“What? You did?”

There’s no way he’d listen to something like that, especially for that long. Sure, I was expecting him to hear it once or twice to understand me, but that’s unprecedented. I didn’t think I’d appeal to adults with my level of experience.

Sensei: “Did you play the instruments yourself, or did you make it with other people? I have to know.”

“It was just me. I sang the vocals, and played the guitar, and everything else was constructed online in a studio project file.”

Sensei: “So that’s why they were looking for an electric guitar.”

“Still, there’s no way my song was good enough to justify playing it at SCHALE. What did you even find so cool about it?”

Sensei: “I’ve always been into subjects like personal empowerment and defiance. It’s really rare to find people, especially students who can make motivational songs like you. Having my emotions throughout Kivotos be lyricized in a modern song, that was an experience I wish I could have for the first time again.”

“Kayoko did say that Kivotos had hardships that aligned with the song.”

Sensei: “And she’s very correct about that. Most students I’ve seen have an undying determination for what they do best, and it’s often they have to compete with others to prove themselves and prevail. Your song parallels Kivotos to an awesome degree.”

“Do you think people would want to see more music like that?”

Sensei: “Oh, absolutely! You’ve already got studios asking to collaborate and interview you! At least a dozen names came to SCHALE to ask if I knew you, though of course at the time I didn’t. You’re bound to be successful with a career like this!”

Okay, I was NOT expecting to get that level of attention. The students? I would’ve been totally fine with just them. Having labels come out to try and see me? That was not on my bucket list. I might have been ambitious, but I wasn’t THAT ambitious.

But still, that sounds kind of fun, with the corporatism aside.

“Well, I guess you do know me now.”

Sensei: “Correct, but even if I did know you at the time, I wouldn’t have disclosed it to you unless you wished for it. I wanted to respect your privacy as well.”

“Wait, you had a feeling I was the artist when you first met me?”

Sensei: “Well, with how Kayoko put it, it wasn’t illogical to connect you to that name. Everything seemed to line up perfectly to match you up. Even I couldn’t deny it after hearing it from her.”

“Dude, I can’t believe I made it that obvious..”

Sensei: “We can’t blame you though, you didn’t know too much for being by yourself this whole time. Though, if you are still interested in pursuing music, I could definitely do a few things to benefit you.”

“Like what?”

Sensei: “I can provide you with better instruments and equipment for your recordings. If you wish to perform live, or handle any legal matters, that jurisdiction can fall to me as well. If you really want, you can continue to make music without having to worry about any of the complexities that would come later.”

“Honestly, I think I’d need something like that. Would you really be up for that?”

Sensei: “I’ve never managed a student celebrity before, but I really like the idea of giving it a try. I’m sure it would be rather enlightening, and perhaps even fun too. What do you think?”

“I’ll give it a shot then. We’ll see how things go after I’m finished with my second song.”

Sensei: “Oh, SCHALE is going to feel so alive with you in the picture now.”

“Hey.. don’t tease me like that.”

Sensei: “What? No, your music really is that good! Even my assistant for the day was really into it.”

“Oh my, you played it around other people?!”

Sensei: “Hey, don’t be so embarrassed! Surely there’s hundreds of students out there doing the same thing.”

“But, you’re an adult! Listening to a kid’s music!”

Sensei: “And I couldn’t have been more satisfied with myself.”

He put on a smug expression, daring me to try and push his opinion.

“Urgh.. what am I going to do..”

Sensei: “Heh, it’s been a while since I’ve gotten to talk to someone like this.”

“Oh, you do this with other students too?”

Sensei: “Heck yeah! That’s part of the fun of this job!”

“Man, what a teacher you are.”

Sensei: “Best in the business, baby.”

“Let’s.. just go. I’m sure they’re waiting for us.”

Sensei: “We’ll get to talk all about it later, okay?”

“Greeaaaat…”

We began circling the colossal fountain before the grand building, and being the size that it was, it took a great amount of time to revolve around it. Eventually, as we approached the front steps, the fountain was high enough to block out the landscape behind me. 

I have no choice but to focus on what lay directly ahead.

What was ahead of me?

A certain black and white girl, sitting at the bottom of the building’s stairwell.

I guess fate aims to cleanse my heart of any doubt before I head on-stage.