Chapter Text
Once Yuga returned things should have been simple. The rush duel club was back together... rush duels had returned... Otes was defeated... Everything could return to normal, and even improve! And so was the case.
For most people of course.
She was the only one who couldn't accept it. It wasn't right. SOMETHING wasn't right here.
As Mrs. Ohdo waved bye to her son as he rushed off to school, a deep anxiety muddled within her. She shut the door with a smile, but once alone it faded, and she started breathing heavily.
It wasn't him.
It couldn't be.
THAT WAS NOT HER SON
...but no one would believe her, would they?
"Man, student council work in middle school is so much harder than in elementary. Why are we even here at 5am..." Rinnosuke mumbled, while Ranze stifled a yawn. "This wouldn't have happened if we had started planning earlier. We were late with starting preparations for the school fair, so we need to come in earlier to get ahead" Gakuto told the twins. "Well, with all the excitement of Yuga returning, we couldn't help but be distracted. He was gone for two years after all!" Ranze responded. "I know, and I accept that we are all to blame for this. But we can't neglect the needs of the rest of the school just because of one friend"
The school was quiet when they arrived, and the morning was foggy, obscuring their vision. But even in spite of it, they could tell the machine cavalry had already parked their various vehicles, signaling that they had arrived first. As expected of the student council president Asana of course...
Gakuto and the twins hurried up the stairs, arriving at the student council room only a few minutes before the official meeting time of 5:15. The others were already waiting inside. "Good morning everyone!" Gakuto said as he entered, his loud voice waking up Schubel and Doverap who had seemingly been asleep at one of the desks. "Good morning, schewer..." the teen said with a yawn, while Asana shook her head, a bit disappointed. The student council president herself was sitting at one of the other desks together with Galiant. The desk was covered in notes and plans for the upcoming event.
"Good morning you three" Galiant responded, while Asana gestured towards the desk "Grab a chair and join us. We need all hands on deck if we want this to happen as planned and on time"
"Of course. We'll do our best!" Gakuto said as they all took their seats. Schubel also finally joined everyone, still looking like he'd rather be in bed. But his loyalty to the cavalry forced him to stay awake and participate. Things started slow, but soon they had enough energy from talking and interacting with each other and things began to move. Still, every now and then Gakuto noticed his fellow purple haired classmate look towards the window, out at the fog. "Let's hope this weather clears up soon... it would be hard my family to do their work today, schewer" he said, gazing outside. "The weather should get better according to the weather programs. We should be back to sunny sky in two days at most" Asana said, trying to ease his mind. "PE will be interesting for those who have it outside today" Galiant mentioned. "I do wonder why it became so foggy today. It normally isn't. I have an unease feeling about it" Schubel said. By now they were all looking outside, where barely anything was visible. "It is a bit unnerving, but we shouldn't get distracted by it too much, it's just the-" Gakuto froze mid-sentence as the group saw something large and human shaped fall past the window. Acting immediately, the student council all jumped out of their seats, running to the window. "We all saw that right, I'm not THAT tired, am I?" Schubel asked the others. "Whatever it was it should have fell from the roof and landed near the back of the school. Ranze and I are the fastest, we'll run ahead and see what it is" Rinnosuke said and the twins rushed out of the classroom, completely ignoring the no running rules the school had. "Schubel, Galiant, check the roof. Gakuto and I will head down as well" Asana commanded, and everyone set off.
Running down the multiple flights of stairs wasn't quick, but with the two who were trained to be literal ninjas doing it, it came much easier than it would a normal person. They were able to easily leap down, flight by flight, before they reached the entrance. Not even bothering to change shoes, the two ran outside, looking around. "The window to the student council room should be on the other side of the school" Ranze said and the two rushed in that direction, not wanting to waste time in case what they saw fall was a person. They both hoped and prayed it wasn't the case, but what if...?
As they arrived, they saw a figure on the ground, surrounded by a pool of blood. They came closer, trying to see if they could recognize the student, and well...
Who wouldn't be able to recognize Caterpilio, one of the student council members. He had promised to be there early, but was late. They had assumed he had just slept in and missed an alarm, but... but now he laid in front of them. Rinnosuke knelt down, checking his pulse, his own hands were trembling, and cold from the temperature outside. As he tried to find the pulse spot, he suddenly heard his sister scream, but before he could turn around, he felt something get pushed onto his head and his vision went dark. The unknown attacker grabbed his hands, tying them together, before kicking him in the head.
Minutes passed... at least he thought that much. When he came to, he still had what felt like some kind of sack covering his head, and his hands were bound by rope. "What... is going on..." he mumbled to himself as eh struggled to get free. "Rinnosuke! Ranze! Are you two alright?!" He heard his best friend's voice. The sack got pulled off of his head, exposing him to the cool air again. But as Gakuto untied him and he was able to take off his fogged up glasses, he noticed something was wrong.
"Huh?! Wait, where did the body go?"