Kazuo awakened to find himself in complete darkness. However, it wasn't long after when a bright blue light from above appeared and illuminated Kazuo and where he stood: a pure white floor - at least from the circular area that was illuminated. The light was quite jarring to the eyes - harsh - like a searchlight almost. Kazuo instinctively placed an arm over his eyes to avoid the strong light but, as he finally placed his arm back to his side, the scenery had changed. He was now in a blue room - a very blue room - as well as sitting on a chair of velvet upholstery. It was a rather large room as well with most of the space being occupied by shelves upon shelves of books. Directly in front of him, sitting upon a more luxurious velvet seat, is a sharply-dressed but rather unusual-looking man with a spectacularly long nose. Between the bizarre man and Kazuo stood an impressive table decorated in velvet. Beside the strange man stood a more normal-looking man with combed, pale blonde hair dressed in a blue dress shirt, black tie, black slacks and matching dress shoes, black suspenders, and draped over his shoulder is a blue coat.



"Welcome to the Velvet Room," the long-nose man addressed Kazuo. "It seems you have an intriguing destiny." He lightly chuckled. "My name is Igor... I am delighted to make your acquaintance." Igor gestured to the other man. "This is Walton. He is a resident of this place, like myself."

"Pleasure," Walton impassively greeted.

"This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. It is a room that only those who are bound by a 'contract' may enter. It seems such a fate awaits you in the near future. Now then... Why don't you introduce yourself...?" Kazuo introduced himself. "Hmm, I see... A great calamity approaches. The true nature of it, I cannot tell for certain. However, residing within you is a great power. Perhaps great enough to stand against the encroaching danger... Are you aware of the many and varied selves you harbor within you? The self suffused with divine love. The self capable of demonic cruelty. People live by wearing different masks. What masks do you wear?"

"It's time," Walton reported to Igor.

"I'm afraid our conversation will have to end here. But do not worry, this will not be the last time we speak. The next time we meet, you will not be alone... Your destiny is intertwined with others who share a similar power to yours. It is with them that this journey you have started on will see its completion. My assistant and I will be here to aid you by unlocking the truths residing within your hearts. But that is a conversation for another time. Until then, farewell..."



A large bus made its way down the road and entered the suburbs of Nichibotsu-ku. On the bus sat Kazuo looking quietly out the window. Tomorrow is the start of a new school year at the prestigious Koden Private High School Academy, or just Koden Academy for short. Kazuo is a student there; made apparent by the uniform he is currently wearing. He had been accepted into the school a few months back on account of his grades, but it wasn't his idea to switch schools in the first place, his parents had suggested it and he simply complied with their wish. He could care less about what school he attends. In the end, they're all uninteresting anyways. He reached into his blazer's pocket and pulled out an old pocket watch - one could see the signs of its age. "6:42," reads the hands of the watch; evening time.

Soon, the bus stopped at its destination: just in front of Koden Academy. Stepping off the bus with his belongings, Kazuo inspected the campus and, my, it's quite the impressive campus, rivaling those of universities. Numerous students are out and about; all of them are dressed casually since the new school year doesn't officially start until tomorrow. Kazuo is assigned to Dormitory Building B, Room 214, and so he decides to go there. It took nearly three minutes but he finally arrived at his dorm. He could see various students hanging out around the dorm. They're probably his dorm mates. Walking in, he is greeted with the sight of more people. He garnered quite a few looks because of his uniform but he didn't noticed. He walked upstairs and retired to his room. Setting his things down, Kazuo proceeded to change into a more comfortable attire. Tomorrow is the start of his new life at Koden Academy.

Johnathan's eyes gently slid open, greeted to the ceiling of his dorm room and nothing more. A plain white, lifeless in colour. His hand moved to his eyes, to wipe the mucus which had collected at the edge of his eyes, wiping the crusty substance away with no more than a few swipes. His head lazily turned to the right, to spot a dull boring clock. 18:00.

"Guess I had an all-nighter again..." He thought to himself, before the chubby male sat upward, his long dark brown hair hanging loosely, untied. A sigh escaped, the only sound in his room, aside from the clocks constant ticking. Gazing downward he noticed he was still garbed in his casual gear.

"Good going, Johnny" He spitefully groaned before standing up from his futon, grasping a bobble which laid on the ground before standing completely upright, allowing him to tie his hair back behind him. He didn't even decide to wash his face, or clean himself up much, it's not like anyone else was going to exactly care either way. So he decided to just head straight out, he was already fully clothed, what would it matter?

Thus, Johnathan left the dorms and headed out of the schools gates to walk about Nichibotsu-ku for a while, he didn't like to take a bus, not unless he was with someone he knew, not that anyone really knew who he was or cared for that matter, he'd just have to walk it. Johnathan took the rest of his day heading into town, surveying and looking at the people who would walk by from time to time, seeing what happy lives people were leading, that's what he spent his freetime doing usually, watching and checking out just how happy and carefree the rest of the world was. How lucky they were. And how unlucky he was.

He'd sit there, watching the world go by from the shadows, passing coins into beggars pockets who crossed his path and staring aimlessly at how everything worked. How even if he wasn't there, the world wouldn't probably change at all. Eventually he'd just get sick of it, and walk back to the Academy. Head into his dorm room, and fall quickly to sleep... To see what his first school day had to offer.



His daily routine began once more. Wiped his eyes, tied his hair, but this time, it was time for school, a break from the boring monotony he had to sit through, so school was at least something comforting to escape from the daily grind, for a few days at the most. He knew it was going to turn out to be yet another boring year. He put his uniform on and gazed at himself in a pocket mirror found near his clock, which currently was close to the start of school. Very close. Johnathan looked at himself in the mirror he picked up, and stared at himself for a few moments, to make sure he at least didn't look too awful, no marks on his face, his face wasn't dirty at all and his hair was at the very least somewhat tidy. "Suppose it'll have to do" He murmured, before grasping his satchel and heading out of his dorm room.

Johnathan didn't waste any time. He left the dorm room, headed straight for the school doors and walked inside. Staring at a pocket timetable he crafted for himself, Johnathan couldn't help but groan. "Geography..." He growled with a strong snarl as he walked onward through the Academy. He's been in the school for 2 years, coming up third, so he knew exactly where to head, and approached the room. Johnathan picked out his mp3 player from his pocket and flicked it to a song, anything to get rid of the boredom of the academy. He randomly selected a tune whilst putting his earphones in his ears. The boy walked into the empty classroom, sat down and hit play.

The music lightly vibrates from his earbuds

In a room with the only source of light being the early morning sun seeping through the blinds of the window, the owner of the room, Saito was still awake from the previous night on his desk studying while being surrounded by half empty bottles of Iced coffee and the odd disposable bowl of half eaten ramen and towers of books arounds those. His long brown hair was a mess with only a ponytail keeping it all tame, his brown eyes looked exhausted with shadows underneath them and he only kept them open with the power of caffeine. But all Saito could do in his half asleep state was glared at the math books he was reading over but all he could make out were meaningless math equations and formula, he hated it all, he hated math, books about math and hated solving math questions. It was all so pointless and he hated it. Is this all he has to look forward to his life.

Saito groaned and closed the math textbook which ranged loudly in the room. He gathered the dirty dishes and mugs from his desk and anywhere else they were scattered off to. The pile of garbage in his arms felt heavy but he toughen his way through the door and made his way through the hallways of the school dorms and went towards the disposal area. And quickly threw away the items into a garbage can. He silently walked to the coed kitchen and grabbed a yogurt and a small fruit bowl from the fridge and as quickly as he arrived he left the kitchen. And he went back into his room and after a half hour of looking at the piles of books and eating his breakfast he has decided it was best to waste the perfectly good sunday by sleeping all day, but he already ruined it by doing an all nighter the night before.



Even with nearly 18 hours of sleep Saito looked tired and his uniform was uneven and half untucked but he didn't seem to mind. He grabbed his shoulder bag and placed some of his needed books in it and a few iced coffees for those in between classes boost. He sighs, "Another year, and another year of nothing." Saito muttered bitterly as he placed his last book in his bag and left to start his new meaningless year of school.
He started heading to the new class he and a select few would go to, but it didn't matter, it really didn't matter to him it was just a thing to do before he starts university next year.

He yawned as he wiped the sleep out of his eyes, and he decided to pull out an iced coffee and drink it as he arrived to his new classroom. He was one of the first ones there, the only one besides him was a boy who was listening to music. Saito didn't even pay the other student any attention and he sat down in the exact middle of the classroom where he continued drinking his iced coffee before the teacher arrived.

Toshiro was spending his night playing video games ignoring the fact a new year of school was starting in the morning. Though he knew well that it was a new year a new class and new people but he really didn't care beacuse as long as he's himself things should go fine. He then found it was about 12 in the morning so he probably should head to sleep unless he wants to be all groggy like everyone else probably will be.

Welp bedtime! hopefully tomorrow is a great day!

He then quickly fell asleep and made sure to set his alarm so he'd have enough time to get ready in the morning.



After about 7 hours of sleep Toshiro woke up and prepared for his morning he was in a cheerful mood and ready to take on the day. Another year time to make some friends and have fun. He then started walking to his class with a cheerful smile and expectations of a fun time.

Ever slowly Bride got out of the bed and looked around, it was almost well not really the first day of school he already filled most of the room with vases or flowers and pots of plants. It was almost needed for him to have as flowers were a gracious thing for him, it been part of his life ever since he was a small kid and letting them go would be impossible. The smell of roses and lilacs were wonderful to wake up to, he yawned after a good night rest and went towards to the bathroom for a morning shower to really start his day. With a nice hot shower done Bride changed into his clothes, a white pure looking dress and an orange necktie. Ever since he was born he had a very innocent and pure face, most well nearly everyone thought he was a girl, he been sort of scared to tell anyone he is a boy after that after seeing that sad disappointed face on them…he didn’t want anyone to be sad because of him at all. Though…it still happens around school even though it was clear he was a boy, staying at the boy dorms of the school yet there was still the occasional flirting that would happen to him.

The first day of school of school already, he was excited yet scared at the same time….he hope to make new fiends and maybe just maybe someone he would really like. It had been a dream from him to find someone to be with when he was so small after reading countless stories and fairy tales…finding a prince charming and being whisked away on a white horse. It was a childish dream yet it was still a dream he had no matter what. Fixing his dress, tying his hair into to little braids and finally putting on his signature flower pins he got his very floral and cute messenger bag and went of his room for breakfast and maybe a trip to a near by garden There were many things he can do actually, maybe study up before classes really start but he didn’t waste this peaceful morning with anything school related he wanted to take his time first and relax and enjoy what was out there. .



Morning again but this time school was starting for real, boy he was again scared and excited. He made sure he looked alright first though, making sure he washed his hair right, had a clean complexion and all that sorts. Bride put on his uniform which was actually the girls uniform of the school, apparently the boy’s uniform didn’t fit him very well plus he liked wearing skirts and girl clothes…the movement and the sway of clothes felt very soothing to him... plus it make things sort of easy on him, he did try wearing guy clothes once and it didn't go so well

"Okay...this is g-going to be fine...hopefully..." After fixing himself up he then got his bag and headed out for a new day at school and already once he left his room and headed for the co-ed kitchen for some nice fruit for breakfast…he was vegetarian so no bacon and eggs for breakfast….he almost got hit on by a random (Npc) student thinking that hew as indeed a very cute girl. Bride couldn’t help though to giggle, just he easily falls for any type of flirting to anyone just like that. After some flirting he headed off to apparently his first class, Geography.... he hope he can study hard he wasn't the...smartest of people actually. Bride began to slowly walk towards the class and once there he sat down at front so he can pay extra attention.

“I’m trying to tell all of you dumbasses that I don’t want to hang around here any longer – I know where this is heading, and there’s a re-run of Jojo-jo-jojojo’s Series of Unfortunately Bizarre Adventures today. I don’t want to miss it!”

Haruto Okada was currently ganged up in an alleyway being haggled down by three punks, who all stood a head taller than the short Haruto, and who all wanted to try their hands on taking on the “King” – a name that a few delinquents have given Haruto because of something amazing he apparently did – Haruto could hardly care about that. Around the time the name started circulating around, Haruto had just discovered the Unfortunately Bizarre Adventures franchise, and much of his focus had been to return to the front of the television in a timely manner. This day wasn’t much different.

“So we heard the King is someone more terrifying to look at, but you’re built pretty weakly, aren’t you? What’s up with that?”

“Johnny the Buster wasn’t too muscular in Unfortunately Bizarre Adventures, and he still kicked ass.”

”Why do you keep on bringing up anime!?”

“The re-run that’s on today was an episode I couldn’t watch due to unforeseen and incredibly mortifying circumstances. I know I’m not supposed to be a well-spoken character, but damn if I’m not going to try and talk my way out of this one so I can go watch the episode!”

“Well, we’re not going to leave, so you better get ready, you little-”

“Stop acting like fictional delinquents from shounen manga, you idiots. Now will you kindly fuck off, PLEASE!”

In response to that, the three thugs ended up taking a few steps back, only to enter fighting stances that left Haruto no room to jump away and make his escape. He only had ten minutes before the airtime, and no nameless punks were going to stand between him and that precious re-run. As the center punk threw a straight right towards Haruto’s nose, the young boy leaped into the air and pressed his feet against the brick wall behind him. With the roar of a predator out for blood, Haruto kicked himself over the assault and tackled the punk into the ground, proceeding to viciously beat the thug unconscious.

The other two punks were paralyzed in fear as Haruto performed the acts of wrathful demons right in front of them, and as Haruto stomped on the now down delinquent, he quietly turned towards the other two with fury burning in his eyes. The other thugs wanted to run, but the venom and malice in Haruto’s voice stopped them from moving.

“You two aren’t going anywhere”

The screams of the punks broke the silence of the otherwise peaceful alleyway that evening.



The unfortunate truth of the matter is that Haruto got so furious about the situation yesterday that he ended up missing the re-run of the anime he wanted to watch, and he ended up missing dinner while moping about the sad reality of the evening events. Much like how he managed to maintain perfect attendance, he has never failed to watch an episode of Jojo-jo-jojojo’s Series of Unfortunately Bizarre Adventures, and the episode was Johnny the Buster’s climactic battle against the Magnificent Gucci, who had attained an ultimate power capable of creating a new universe.

How will this intense and insanely entertaining part come to an end? Haruto would never know, and he refuses to go online to try and find a recording of it – it wasn’t the same as watching it on television, and he was insanely spoiled in that regards.

So intense was his depression that he absolutely ignored the fact that his roommate, Bride, might’ve remembered to record the anime – but they weren’t super close, and hardly in the room at the same time. Haruto couldn’t just walk up to him and say “Yo, Bride, my man or woman, did you remember to record the episode of Unfortunately Bizarre Adventures today for me?”

Fucking preposterous.

Haruto had to drag himself out of bed, slipping into his uniform while still wearing his large jacket – he always kept the blazer in his bag, and liked wearing his jacket over the dress shirt instead. Some had issues with it, but no one brought it up with Haruto, so what does it matter?

Walking himself through the kitchen, he grabbed a piece of untoasted bread, said “sup” to his roommate who was chewing some fruit, and went out the door. Haruto had enough insight to know that if he was going to mope about missing his anime in his room during the morning, he was going to also ruin his perfect attendance. And what does he have to say to that? Fuuuuck that.

April 9th / Sunday / Sunny

The xanthous ball of plasma that had begun its lazy arc through the sky marking the start of the day. It was a pleasant day if any there had ever been, without a cloud in the sky to obstruct the vast expanse of spring blue that stretched across the horizon. The animals outside were active and the chipper of a spear of beards could be heard through the crack of an open window as they flew by Koden Academy. A cool breeze came from the east and with it the scent of pollen and fresh cut grass. It was the the start of the second week of April and the sense of apprehension in the air around Koden Academy was so thick you could taste it on your tongue. Classes started tomorrow and most of the students would be preparing for the start of the new school year tomorrow. Not that many cared for it, most of the student body made up of some of the brightest students in the country. Koden had pride in the fact that in your math class you could very well be sitting next to the future Prime Minister or Parliamentary Chairmen. They had nothing to worry about, though one girl was worried about the approaching tomorrow as she tried her best not to think of it.

Unmei Masako did not like school. Clarification. Unmei Masako never liked school since she was a little girl. The constant drone of the teachers, the boring textbooks filled with information you will never have to know again, the pit of dread that forms in the stomach before a test. She hated it all. Masako would rather be out anywhere running, or doing something productive with her time then being locked in a concrete legalized prison camp for adolescents. In all honestly she didn't even believe that she belonged her with all this prodiges and geniuses and then completely average her. All she contributed in her past two years of attending Koden was being able to run pretty well for Track and Field but even then she was sure they could of found a better smart person that could also run as fast as her. So why was she here?

The shortest and the simplest answer was her father. Mister Unmei was a very wealthy and very powerful man with many friends in the government and the business world. Unmei Heavy Industries like most companies started out as a weapons manufacture during the Second World War. Today it was one of the largest government contractors in Japan and whether people knew it or not they were using Unemi products everyday. Unmei built machinery towed their elevators, they rode on trains riding on tracks laid down by Unmei construction equipment and used cars using Unmei engines. So when it came time for thinking about his only daughters education, well an important man like him dared not send her to the pittle and grime of Public Schools, no she would only get the best and the best was Koden. It was always that way, Masako never got to prove herself in anything because father's money spoke louder than words every time.

She sat slouched on the chair in front of her desk which neatly had a stack of books on one corner and a plethora of different colors of pens in a small square cup in the other. The books were her reading for the year, textbooks that were destined to never leave their same position on the desk and accumulate dust over a slow period of time. Of course she didn't believe that. No this year was going to be "different", this year she wasn't going to lose steam and come crashing to another stand still like last year and barely scrape by. No she was going to seize the initiative, she was going to study, she was going to hand things in on time and she was going to prove that she didn't need her father's legacy to get through life. Yeah like that was going to happen

"No... I got this!" She muttered to herself clenching her right hand into a fist and nodding her head. She stood up and grabbed the water bottle that was on the desk. She was going to go out, probably just run for awhile until she couldn't run anymore. That would help deal with the stress, calm down the nerves and allow her to focus on something else beside school for awhile. Yeah that sounded like a plan.

April 10th/ Monday/ Sunny

The sharp shrill tones of an alarm clock knocked her awake with the impact of a prize fighter. She looked towards the numbers and her mind suddenly jump with recognition she had overslept again had'nt she? Of course she did, she always did whenever it was important at least. She had a very small window of opportunity to be able to get there early and get a good seat but she would have to run. It would require haste and it would require dumb luck. Masako got out of bed well more like fell with style catching herself before her face could slam against the floor. She quickly got changed grabbing the School Uniform for her closet and shrugging it on over her smallclothes: shirt check, jacket that was starting to hang a little too close in the chest area check, skirt despised it but check. Her hair was a mess but there was nothing to do about that now and so she bundled it up quickly and using a simple black hair band pulled it back into a longish ponytail. She threw her books into a small bag which she threw over one shoulder and bolted out the door. It seemed to be the start of another average year.

She ran as quickly as she could, having three near high speed collisions and having to juke out of the way and step onto the finely trimmed grass much to the chagrin of the groundskeeper to make it around a group of chatty girls a year younger than her. Taking the paths that through two years worth of experience new would get her there the quickest with the least foot traffic, She eventually made it to the designated building with time to spare though of course without breakfast and a little out of breath. She cursed herself as things were already getting to a spectacular start and she was already not at all excited to deal with learning at this very moment. What class was she even going to? Oh right geography of all things. Lets look at continental plates and talk about rocks! Yeah like that was going to be anything but a bore. But she had to try, she had to prove that she could do this. Taking a deep breath she centered herself and entered the building.

She got to the classroom just as the rest of the students began to file in. There was a foreign boy with an mp3 player, another boy drinking coffee of some sort in the center looking extremely ready and extremely bored at the same time, an extraordinary chipper young man that seemed to be just a big ball of sunshine, a boy in a very large jacket rather strange with the uniform but nothing major, and wait... Was that a girl or a boy or you know what better to not ask any questions. She moved past them and headed to the far side of the room that boasted the three sets of large rectangular windows and assumed her position in the backhand corner. As soon as she made contact with the desk she brought her hand down in between her arms and sighed hoping nobody would notice her disheveled state. Hoping that she could at least catch a breather before the teacher came in. This was going to be one long year...

April 9th / Sunday / Sunny

There wasn't much for her to do today. All her homework was done and dealt with, other chores were already finished, and no part time job to worry about.

Ito Natsuki leaned against the bench, enjoying the feel of the cool breeze under the shade. Hinode park was quite peaceful at this time of day, as peaceful as it will ever get with kids running around and a few adults doing their own thing. Somehow... Natsuki didn't feel quite right whenever she was at the school or in the dorms. It wasn't as if she was being bullied or anything, the girls there seemed very polite, happy and quite keen on helping her with anything she might have a problem with.

Natsuki felt a nudge by her foot, which, upon closer inspection, was revealed to be a rather dusty football.

"Sorry mister!" Came the call from one of the young boys running about.

Wordlessly she stood up,kicking the ball back towards them, watching them immediately fall upon the ball, running and kicking with abandon. How carefree they were, she thought. If only these simple days last forever...

April 10th / Monday / Sunny

Natsuki continued reading, giving a slight smile and nod as the girls in her classroom gave her a greeting. It was common enough by now that she didn't feel bothered by it, or the group that sometimes followed her. They seemed to be very shy as well. She once caught one of the girls alone, and they blushed a deep hue of red then rushed off before Natsuki could even ask where the teacher was. It was not as if she had the right to criticize someone on that though, for she has the same problem trying to even talk to people.

She glanced at the clock on the wall, noting the time. Quietly she took her things, and stopped by the toilet, adjusting her tie, making sure her shirt was properly tucked into her pants, and generally making sure she didn't look like a slob. Once she was in the lecture room, she took one of the back seats out of consideration for others.

Being taller than average was a pain sometimes.

Kazuo looked in the bathroom mirror and adjusted his tie. Today is the dreaded first day of school. A year-long bore fest that he has to endure for the sake of his "future". Oh well. He can complain as much as he wants but it won't stop the inevitable. His first class starts in half an hour - some special geography class whose students were picked at random across all age groups. Kazuo was unlucky enough to get picked so now he'll have this class on top of the other standard classes. A year of this then it's off to a university if he does well enough. Heading downstairs, Kazuo grabbed a quick bite to eat while paying no heed to the other students then headed off to his scheduled class.

Along the way, he reached into his pants' back pocket and pulled out a small black book, opening it up to read a few passages as he walks to class. Then, he overheard a conversation from a couple of girls walking in front of him. "Hey did you hear about that rumor?" a short-haired girl asked her friend.

"What rumor?"

"The one about the second library at school."

"I thought the principal said that was a load of crap."

"Principal Hanza? He wouldn't know what goes on at this school even he's in charge of it."

"Which he is."

"Anyways, I heard this second library is really weird. It looks completely different from the rest of the school."

"What do you mean?" Kazuo drowned out the rest of the conversation as he gazed back at the pages of his book. As he crossed the campus garden to get to the science facilities, a blue butterfly flew passed him and a strange feeling overcame him, causing him to stop and look back at the butterfly. For some odd reason, he felt an overwhelming sense of nostalgia and melancholy. Strange indeed. When he regained his composure, Kazuo continued to the science facilities - particularly the geography building - and made his way into classroom 2-B. Inside were already seven students. Some of them looked quite bored which Kazuo found amusing. He wonders if they share his sentiments about school. In any case, he put on a polite smile and made his way to one of the seats closer to the back. As he sat down and placed his bag on his desk, he pulled out his book again and continued reading in silence.

April 9th / Sunday / Sunny

Shinku has had a nice day so far. She hadn't been out from her dorm in the time since she got there from her hometown and just wanted to enjoy the local desserts and delicacies since it was a pretty fun thing to do, even on one's own! The best was the Taiyaki though. Perhaps it was just because it was her favorite snack, or perhaps it was because it was especially good in town. There were of course other things like ice cream shops and the like, but nothing beat Taiyaki in Shinku's book.

She even wished she could share it with her dormmate, Ito Natsuki. She was a pretty, if not lonely seeming girl. Had she not always seemed so distant Shinku would have invited her. Or was she out this morning? Shinku hadn't actually noticed since she had rushed out for the most part. Maybe it would have been better just to invite the girl to go out on the town. . . But too late now! "Oh well." She muttered to herself between bites of Taiyaki.

Later in the day however, as she walked by an alleyway, she heard a short bit of screams before they suddenly died off. Without a second thought she started off in a dash. It took a bit but she got there as she saw someone that looked. . . Well, familiar enough. He was walking away through another entrance. No time for that now, "These guys don't look so good. Maybe I should--" The sounds of footsteps were heard so Shinku turned to see who it was-- Smack. Her face hurt, that was sure. It was probably red. She also lost her balance slightly as she had to reach for the ground to brace herself. "I think I got to say ouch to that. . . Ouch." She turned to see who it was. Well, he certainly looked like he had no idea what a deliquint looked like. Or acted like really. He had the agressive look on his face right, but the quivering in his legs told spoke otherwise.

"Okay kid. I get a freebie since you just decided to hit me without figuring anything out." Without much of a warning she decked him hard enough to lose his balance and fall down. . . Which really wasn't much of a feat considering his poor posture. "Since they seem like your friends I'll let you see to their treatment." With that she went back to her dorm, slightly dirty with her face still slightly red from the hit. Who ever beat those guys down didn't seem to be around after she left the alley so it would have been fruitless to chase.

Once she entered her dorm room she saw her dormmate. "Evening Ito." All Shinku really wanted to do was change and go to sleep, so that is exactly what she did.

April 10th / Monday / Sunny

It was an early morning compared to what she had been doing, but Shinku got herself up. . . Albeit after Ito had already left. The red mark had already gone from her face, which was good. "Wouldn't be good to show up the first day with a huge mark or bruise across my face." Still it was time to get a move on or she'd be late for the first day. Quickly she got her hair brushed out and tied back the practically threw on her clothes and rushed out with what she needed for the day.

Her clothes were a pretty good mess, but no one really seemed to care anyhow. "Now, it was . . . Geometry. . . Somewhere." She had made it far enough that she didn't need to worry about being late, other than the possible fact that she could just not make it to teh class. . . Which wasn't a problem either as she had found the place and made a seat for herself near some boy with a black book in hand. She didn't recognize him . . . A 1st year? Well, he didn't look it. Someone transfer in?

Dawn was braking, and Gruffydd was already awake. He had not, as some did, pulled an all-nighter. There would be time enough for that once the school year had begun properly. No, Gruffydd was awake to greet the dawn. It had been fortunate that he lacked a roommate, else he would disturb them, but Koden Academy had given him what he desired, even if it was by complete accident.

The large student was on his knees, bowing his head towards the rising sun. "Wyneb y Beli Mawr, Belyn, bwrw glaw i lawr o'r haul ar y cerrig a'r glaswellt. Mae'r diwrnod wedi dechrau." He breathed in, and then out, before finally standing. He bowed his head once more to the dawn, before turning away.

It was strange, some might say, to worship gods long forgotten by most of the rest of the world, but Gruffydd did not think so. Perhaps it was the pride that his parent's had instilled in him for his heritage, perhaps it was something he clung to in a country where he was—even amongst friends—very much out of place, or perhaps it was simply as much a part of him as his eyes or hands, but Gruffydd could not conceive of himself as worshiping anything but the gods of his ancestors—Beli Mawr and Belyn, in the case of this prayer.

Having dressed for the day before greeting the dawn, Gruffydd decided that he would celebrate the last day of Summer Break by eating breakfast at one of his favorite restaurants in the area. It was a small local thing, nowhere near the prestige of the Cafe Fortuna, but Gruffydd found the atmosphere and the food to be positively delightful. It was a slow day, so he struck up a conversation with one of the employees on break. The topics varied, and Gruffydd's laughter echoed through the establishment, but eventually his food was finished, and his partner had to get back to work.

Unsure of what to do with his day, Gruffydd eventually wandered into a book store—The Rabbit Hole. He didn't really know the proprietor or his daughter, but he came here enough that they recognized him—as if he were hard to pick out in a crowd. He practically stalked the bookshelves, seeking older and more obscure texts. He found a musty tome or two, and purchased them.

He returned to his dorm room, books in tow, and set them down on his desk. He would read them in time. First, he had his figure to maintain. His muscles were no accident. Sure, he had been well served by the genetic lottery, but these sorts of things come with effort, and he was well-acquainted with effort, just like everyone else at Koden Academy. Granted, most students directed that effort exclusively towards academics, sports, or clubs, but he would accept nothing less than physical perfection from himself—or at least, what he saw as physical perfection.

His exercise done, and his body adorned in sweat, he crashed back into the chair at his desk. He grabbed the most interesting of the day's purchases, a collection of folk-tales from around Japan. It consumed him until the time came for him to sleep—earlier than most, because of his early rise.

---

The dawn came, and Gruffydd had risen to greet it as he had the day before. Today's breakfast was less exciting than the day before—it was, after all, the first day of school. Of course, the early riser that he was, it would be a while yet before he had to be in class. After eating his breakfast, he resumed reading the book that had so absorbed him the day before. Folk tales were a strange thing. The stories of the people, forged from custom and religion and focused through the lens of everyday life. He was very familiar with those of his homeland, masked as they were in the foreign influence of the Romans and the Saxons. He could certainly appreciate a folk tradition as untainted as Japan's.

He appreciated it so much that he was almost late to class. His book had him so enraptured that he would have spent the entire morning reading if, while reaching over to drink from his glass of water, he had not chance a glance at the clock. He swore, and quickly gathered his things and set off for his first class of the day. Geography, eh? he thought, Well, not my idea of a good time, but school rarely is. I suppose the lay of the land can get pretty interesting, at times. I guess I'll just have to see how this goes. He was at the tail-end of the class filtering in, but by no means late. He recognized a few faces from around the classroom, but he didn't really know these people. There was one person that he knew he didn't recognize—a transfer student, maybe?—reading a book. And another white guy. Well, this is going to be interesting, if only for the company here.

It was already the last day of summer yet Dai wanted nothing more than to sleep in. However, the number of texts and missed calls built up in his phone won’t wait any longer. His phone vibrated for the nth time before he shifted beneath the thick covers. He groaned as he glanced around, the sun pouring into the room through the gaps at the edges of the curtain.

His eyes gazed upon the school’s newspapers scattered all across his desk along with a web browser on his laptop – something he had forgotten to shut down last night - opened to a local forum. Next to the printed headlines of “A NEW SCHOOL YEAR – KODEN EDITION” was his small flip phone. Although it was no iPhone, it was a device that served him well. Without hesitation, he flipped it opened.

Thus, his day proved to be uneventful. “He said, she said” was the basic premise for most of the gossip filtered through his phone. It was nothing more than skin-deep talk. Idle chatter from fellow students was a part of his daily routine he used primarily to catch up with current events. Sometimes they would call/text him, sometimes he would call/text them. It a nice exchange of information, if not make them seem like tech-savy old ladies. As he sighed within the next hour as the prattling continued, his eyes slowly widened when he saw a familiar name flashed against the screen of his cell.

"Ah, sorry, but I got to take this!" Dai cut into the chatter of an acquaintance from Drama Club. Without waiting for protest, he hung up and quickly accepted the next call.

“Hiya! This is Dai singing.” Came that sing-song voice, purposely making his voice sweeter than usual. “Here to sing the blues away--…Well, don’t you sound grumpy. What’s up?”

The voice on the other end of the phone line was incoherent squiggles to any outside listeners; Dai smiled to himself as his muscles relaxed against the polyester seat. There was something melodious about voices. Although many might disagree, there was nothing that could be more soothing than listening to someone.

"You should really call more often, sunshine."



Dai bolted awake suddenly, his alarm clock blaring through the speakers. Resisting the urged to swear, he knew it was wishful thinking to continue his summer sleeping habits. He ran his hand through his blond hair, now little more than a tangled and matted mess as he yawned and limped over to the bathroom. Emerging from the showers some time later, he wasted little time in doing his hair as he placed a simple head band to tame some of his more defiant locks. As he caught sight of the time on his clock, he almost dropped his head piece and swore. One coffee and a blueberry muffin later, he grabbed his phone from the table and ran down the hall to his first class of the day.

Geography – what a strange class to hold a lottery over. He wasn’t sure if it’s lucky or not to get selected since, when the school announced the winners, a majority of the students cheered at the fact they were not chosen. It made him curious since rumors came up as to why it was done by lottery; although, it came in the form of jokes – mad experimentation, crazy geography teacher, etc. The most realistic one was that the school couldn’t get enough students to enter willingly…

It didn’t matter now. The classroom was in his line of sight. Dai shuffled his way into the lecture room, peering inside to check if the teacher was in. Instead of catching sight of an elderly face, Dai couldn’t help but marvel at the colorful selection of students the lottery had chosen. A few faces rang some bells in his memories – some more than others – with a couple of foreign students and a fresh face (a transfer student? Oh, how rare) tossed into the mix.

He took deep breaths to calm his pounding heart, dumping his books onto a desk. “Hey,” Dai greeted once he got his heart under control, giving the transfer student and a hardy young lady next to him a wave, as he took the seat in front of them.

Once Kazuo had settled in, three more students arrived. The first was a girl with fiery red hair whose clothes look a bit disheveled. She took a seat next to him. The next person was a tall foreign boy - really tall - with strong features. The last to arrive was a young man who looked to be in a hurry. He seems pretty friendly, opting to say hello to the people he decided to seat near to which is Kazuo and the red-haired student. Before Kazuo could return the greeting however, the door opened again and in came two faculty members. There was a ditzy young woman wearing large glasses who was carrying a bunch of paperwork and the second was a man who looked extremely apathetic. The woman set her stack of papers down and turned to the students. "Good morning class, welcome to our special geography course. I'm Ms. Sasaki and this is Prof. Takano," Ms. Sasaki introduced while adjusting her glasses.

Prof. Takano groaned and took the teacher's seat before grabbing the file atop the stack of paperwork. "Alright, let's take roll, shall we?" Takano began reading off the list of name; he even managed to pronounce Gruffydd's name perfectly. He then stopped at the last name and looked at Kazuo. "You're the transfer student, I take it? Unlucky you, getting stuck in this class." Takano remarked but was quickly interrupted by Sasaki who gave a nervous laugh. "Prof. Takano is kidding!" She protested. "A-Anyways, why don't you introduce yourself to your fellow classmates?" Kazuo nodded and stood up from his chair. He then walked to the front of the class and introduced himself with a polite smile before sitting back down at his seat. "We're missing two people... A 'Dan Shinjo' and 'Arisu Ueshima'. Not that it matters," Takano murmured before tossing the roll sheet onto the desk.

"So it took a bit of effort on our part but we managed to make this class a reality. At least for this year anyways. Umm, so this class won't be the usual pen-and-pad learning but, rather, we'll be conducting field research as a class." Kazuo perked up a bit as he heard that. Something different finally. "This region of Japan is quite interesting. Various geographical phenomena occurs here. We're at the forefront of studying these mysteries of nature," Sasaki explained. "So let's not waste another second. Today we'll be making a trip to the forest just outside Nichibotsu. Don't worry about your other classes today. They've been informed of what we're doing. We'll return to Koden at 3 PM."

Takano stood up and headed to the exit. "Huh? Where are you going, Prof.?" Sasaki asked. "You take care of things today. I'm going to take a nap. This hangover's killing me-"

"Oh Prof. Takano, you kidder! Umm, but what about the equipment?"

"You know how to use them. 'Sides, now you got people to carry them. I'll be expecting some documents on my desk tomorrow." Takano then left without another word.

Sasaki looked to the students with a nervous smile. "O-Okay, let go shall we?"

They had arrived at Nichibotsu forest a while ago and were now wandering aimlessly through the woods. Does Sasaki know where she's leading the class? So far, the students' "assignment" has been carrying large, heavy briefcases containing "equipment", whatever that entails. Kazuo couldn't really complain. At least he isn't stuck in a classroom taking notes. Sasaki suddenly stopped when she noticed something in the near distance. Without speaking, she hurried over to it, almost tripping on the way. Kazuo calmly walks over to her position. "Class! Look at this! This is one of the strange geographical phenomena I was talking about!" Sasaki is way too excited talking about a hole in the ground. Given it is a rather large hole but, more strangely, it's perfectly circular and it, looking inside, it has no bottom - only darkness. Sasaki's eyes lit up as she just kneeled there admiring the hole in the ground.

Kazuo looked to the others and set the equipment down. As the other students talked amongst themselves, Kazuo just stood there, aloof to the entire situation. Sasaki was taking notes about the hole but wasn't really interested in doing any teaching. Then, she noticed something creeping up the hole. "Huh...?" In an instant, an elongated black arm shot up out of the hole and grabbed Sasaki, attempting to pull her in. Kazuo was the first to notice and quickly grabbed Sasaki, wrapping his arms around her body. He struggled hard to pull her away from the hole but the arm is incredibly strong. Kazuo called to the others to help and, soon, they were all helping to pull their teacher back. Unfortunately, even with all their strength combined, it proved meaningless and all of them were pulled into the hole.

Sometime later, Kazuo woke only to find himself and the others no longer in Nichibotsu forest but... Nichibotsu's Lower Downtown district? Well, an extremely distorted, ruined version anyways. Standing up off the ground just as the others are beginning to awaken, Kazuo looked up above him and noticed a sky split evenly in black and white. Kazuo then looked to the others and asked if anyone sustained any serious injuries as a result of the fall. There were a lot of different reactions amongst the group but mostly confusion. Sasaki was also nowhere to be found. Once the group managed to regain what little composure they could muster, Kazuo alerted them to a terrifying sight. In the far distance, a shadowy, formless creature with a blue mask for a face carried the unconscious body of Sasaki away. The group is too far away to reach her before she and the monster disappeared. Just what the hell was that? If there are more of those creatures here, the group should probably find something to defend themselves. Kazuo suggested they look around for weapons and, better yet, an exit.

Johnathan sat through the professors class, deciding not to raise his voice or cause a scene, he spoke his name calmly and quietly but inside, Johnathan hated the professor. The mans lack of enjoyment, lack of dedication and lack of empathy made him grind his teeth. The way he spoke so uninterested, calling this class a class for the unlucky. He dug his sharp nails into his leg, having to use every single fiber of his being to keep himself from calling the professor a no good fucking cunt. Out of all the people in the world, his kind were one of the ones Johnathan hated the most. If people like that bastard lived, there was no way that the world would ever live happily, not with pricks like him polluting the joy of the world. His eyes gazed from the corner of the room at the professor with murderous intent. Sitting at the back, the professor of course wouldn't see him, but it was all Johnathan could do without exploding into a violent rage. Silently and endlessly cursing into his head a rhythm of swear words that only a born Irishman could chain together. How dare he treat a transfer student like shit, all he wants is to get this day done so he doesn't have to feel like some form of black sheep. Johnathan made a mental note to talk with the transfer student later when he gets the chance. Johnathan knew what it felt like to feel like you didn't belong. He wanted to make sure that didn't happen to Kazuo.

Out of the teachers however, Johnathan felt no hatred for Ms. Sasaki. She seemed like a woman who didn't have her head screwed up her arse. Instead she seemed more carefree, happy even. He envied such happiness, but not enough to despise her, he actually liked her. Her first impressions with him were solid. Johnathan smiled, when she spoke, it helped him piss out the rage he felt for the professor, a good breather from holding his breath.

Once kazuo introduced himself, Johnathan gave him a reassuring not and a smile, before the class continued. Listening to how this class was more on field rather than paper work, he didn't know how to handle it.

("Shit...") Johnathan thought. ("I'm not that great at geography as it is... And i'm not exactly great at fieldwork... But then again, never was good at geography when it came to pen and paper, so maybe i'll have some luck with this. A flick of the coin I suppose. Maybe this time i'll prove to get lucky.")

By the time Johnathan was done thinking this, the teacher had already began walking out of the room. Once the worst teacher of the year left the room, he understood the need to carry the equipment, doing it for the sake of Ms. Sasaki and not Professor Twatlips, picking up some of the equipment himself with care. He may not look strong, and he might not be very fit, but he'd carry it for one good person at least, that was all the motivation he needed.



The forest gave him calm. It wasn't a sight he'd willingly see regularly, being stuck as a city boy. The forests around him always did set his heart at ease though. The wind blowing around, the trees and how every single one had some form of unique quality to him. Untouched life, living peacefully until the day monsters like humans come to strip them of their life for their own greedy needs. For now, they live, and live happily among eachother. It sparked a little creativity in the back of his mind, and he smiled.

Before he could enjoy the time too much, ms. Sasaki spoke up, and his head cocked in the direction of where she was pointing towards. A hole in the ground.

"Miss Sasaki... What's so special about this place?" Johnathan questioned inquisitively, not trying to act smart but with general interest. His answer wasn't given to him however as she was completely enraptured in her writings.

"Okay... I'll ask in a minute then...!" He sighed, not realizing this was merely the calm before the storm. A long, black hand immediately shot out, in the blink of an eye its alien form snatched Ms. Sasaki, and out of surprise, all Johnathan could do was scream. Frozen with fear it wasn't until Kazuo called out to them that he jumped into action and tried to help pull the teacher out. Before he could say anything else, he was dragged into the hole along with the others...



His eyes shot open, and in that moment all he could do was squeal one word, a delayed reaction from when he was being pulled toward the hole. Back then, he was too afraid to speak it, and out of fear the delay caused him to shout, which would no doubt awaken the other people around him.

"NO!"

Johnathan climbed up onto his feet and stepped back several times before falling back down again, his body shook, his lips quivered, a cold sweat drenched him. Where the hell was he? He wasn't in the forest, he was in the Lower Downtown district! He could tell, he's always went there almost every day as part of his normal routine, how could he not notice? But what made him more scared than the sudden change of scenery was its chaotic destructive transformation and worst of all the alienating sky above. An even black and white. Tears silently streamed down his face. This was alien. This wasn't normal. This was real. It couldn't be fake.

Johnathan had crawled onto his hands and knees, and could only barely work himself up, out of sheer desire to survive, he stood. And stared at the group, with a look of horror in his expression, he stuttered, unable to speak as he watched the shadowy black entity carry away Ms. Sasaki, eventually the monster disappeared, and all Johnathan could do was whimper like a dog.

"M- miss... S- sasaki...?" He croaked, his face having gone pale, his legs quivered and wobbled, before Kazuo spoke up. Johnathan had to speak up to him.

"H- How... How can you be... so... calm? Where are we? Why... miss... sasaki.. why is... she gone... Why.. where... I..."

Johnathan once again lost his footing and tripped over a metalic object. Causing him to grunt, he fell and looked at the thing he tripped over. A... Crossbow? His hands grasped around it desperately, a box of bolts for some reason neatly by the side. He knew he should question it, but not now. He couldn't pass this tool up. He raised the crossbow up, his aim horrible as his hands shook. He needed to calm down.

"Help..." He squeaked, looking to the others with a pleading gaze. How could he not be afraid? This was too crazy to be realistic! He feared death, and hoped his classmates could help coax his fears.

Saito barely register the rest of the students that seep through the classroom door. There was a boy with brown hair, a girl with blonde hair, wait didn't he seen her in the boys dorms before? Nevertheless the one after him was a boy with a shady reputation, a dark haired girl who seems to not want to be here, a girl with short hair, the transfer student, a foreigner, another blondie and finally the two teachers; well one was a teacher the other was a professor. They started to a roll call after introducing themselves as Ms. Sasaki and Prof. Takano.

Saito only listened halfheartedly at the roll call and he simply raised his hand once the Professor called out his name. He just silently watched as the transfer introduced himself and took a few more sips out of his bottle of Iced Coffee and learning the names of the teacher and professor, Saito found it odd they had a professor co-teaching a class of highschooler but it was none of his business to ask questions especially a man who could care less for them. But he stopped drinking his Coffee once he heard that they will be doing fieldwork. Saito looked baffled, he never been on a fieldwork or even a field trip his parents never let him or won't around to let him do such things, maybe this year will be a different, if only a little. Saito grabbed his bag and some equipment and then followed Ms. Sasaki out the door, He hopes he has enough Iced Coffee to last the day.



Saito never realized how little he cared for the great outdoors until now, with the sun beating down at him and with the added hard work of carrying a box of equipment and a bee stinging him just moments ago it was all terrible already, he sighs, maybe this won't be as fun or meaningful as he had hoped. Saito silent watched the other students and wondered if any of them finds this enjoyable in the least. As he pondered the student that arrived to class before him had asked a question about why this place is so special. Saito haphazardly dropped the equipment on the ground and digged into his bag for an iced coffee for a good drink. But before he could drink it, the sounds of gasps and surprise brought him back to the groups escapades and suddenly to his shock Ms. Sasaki has been grabbed by a long black arm and several students are grabbing hold of her to pull away from the arm, in a snap movement Saito ran to the group and grabbed the teacher's right leg to try and pull her, but somehow the arm was strong enough to pull them all down the dark hole.



Saito laid on the ground motionless for a few moments before he shot up and opened his eyes wide to glance around when he heard somebody screamed, he sees that it came from the chubby student, "What the fuck just happened?!" Saito yelled without thinking of censoring himself, but once he realized he swore he covered his mouth with his hands. He wasn't allowed to swear when he lived with his family, and would get in trouble if his mother learned he swore.. "P-pardon that outburst..." He quietly apologized. But suddenly the transfer student told them of a shadowy figure taking the unconscious body of Ms. Sasaki. Saito was about freak out but he tried his best to compose himself enough to stand up and put his fallen bag back on his body, and suddenly he walked to the nearest building with exposed plumbing, and he suddenly ripped out a rusty pipe straight out of the wall. He swung the pipe around him to get use to the weight and suddenly he started to walk where Ms. Sasaki was taken. "I will go up ahead and find Ms. Sasaki, that thing could be dangerous." Saito silently spoke up, he knew what he was doing was foolhardy and dangerous but he can't let Ms. Sasaki be in danger while he's safe. He never liked seeing others in danger while he could do something to help. This was the only good thing his parents taught him. He started to walk the down the street slowly.

Shinku leaned back in her chair and relaxed as the Professor entered the room with Ms. Sasaki. They were an. . . Interesting duo, to say the least. They didn't seem like bad people, just a little tired, irritable and, um, hungover. Then he told the boy next to her, the transfer student, to introduce himself. "I guess that explains it a bit." As he introduced himself, Shinku just looked around the room at the other students. To her surprise, her dormmate was there. "Oh my, Ito." She whispered to herself.

As the transfer student seated himself again Shinku nodded his way, "Sucks to transfer on your third year. Well, last year anyway, so it's almost time for. . . Ugh, exams." After that she stayed fairly quiet otherwise paying attention to the teachers until they left.

Noon

The forest wasn't the best thing in Shinku's book. It could be sticky and dirty. There were bugs and ughh. As they reached a hole that the Professor called "Strange Geographical Phenomena," Shinku worried someone might fall down the black hole in the ground. "Looks dangerous." Shinku said before turning around and setting what she was carrying down. Then she heard shuffling of feet behind her. . . The woman, Sasaki, was being grabbed by something that could best be described as coming out of a supernatural story. "Hey, hey, hey!" She cried out as she dashed forward to assist. Of course, even with the help of everyone, they all fell into the hole. . . Into the dark. . .

Then, she woke. "Ugh, someone get the number of that truck?" Her head was spinning a bit then she heard the transfer student ask if there were any injuries. "Just a bit of a spinning head." That was when she heard one of the foreign boys speak up. He was right, it was amazing how calm the transfer student was in this situation. Then in the distance she saw. . . Something. Something moving out with Ms. Sasaki's body. Hopefully she was just unconcious.

Then, one of the others had. . . As he put it an "outburst". It was amazing that he was willing to go after her. Not that Shinku could leave her to rot out here anyhow. "Hey, what was your name again? Saito Keiichi? I'm coming with ya'. As you said, 'It could be dangerous.'" From her pockets she pulled out some wraps and started, well, wrapping them around her hands as she made her way up to Saito.

The introduction to the geography class was interesting enough as well as the crap ton of equipment they had to carry across the woods. Although, heavy lifting was so not his forte as he knew he would be feeling the burn soon, very soon. With bulky briefcases in his arms, he peered over the “equipment” when Sasaki exclaimed about a hole large enough to stuff an elephant in... Okay, that might be an exaggeration, but it was still rather large.

“So… Did mole people made these?” Dai raised an eyebrow with a slight smile and set down the equipment, his fingers just itching to grab his phone and snap a picture of the hole. Sasaki was right about this geographical phenomenon since it was an occasional rumor that would find itself popping out of nowhere. Although, he heard that these holes would appear at the strange of places. A forest seems like a fairly reasonable place to make an appearance.

“Hey, sensei,” Dai called out, finally caving to temptation by shoving his hand into one of his pockets to pull out his phone. “What exactly are we—?“

Dai practically flipped out when Kazuo called for help and quickly saw something that was not meant to have existed. An elongated hand covered in the color of black ink has itself wrapped around Sasaki, dragging her into the abyss.

As quick as a switch, the young man shoved the phone back into his pockets and jumped over to the ragtag group of students who answered the transfer student’s call. This battle was an instant lose. If one teenaged man can’t make a dent in this disaster, eleven people certainly didn’t put in a single scratch. Dai trembled in both fear and overexertion; his heels dug mini-trenches at the sheer strength of the mysterious black arm. It wasn’t long before the hole covered his entire vision.



“Yeah, I’m fine…” Dai groaned back at the Kazuo, his heart pounding almost as much as his head. Everything just seemed like a bad dream, something he just wanted to forget and wake back into his fleeting summer vacation. The sudden outbursts from a chubby male and a guy with shadows under his eyes didn’t help his nerves.

Oh god, what is that black thing!? A shadowy entity had just dragged Sasaki away.

The phone. He needed his phone!

Dai fumbled about until he managed to reached into his pockets once more and pulled out his phone. Almost immediately, his stomach lurched as he hit the button and listened as the phone rang. Nothing. He grimaced as the top corner of his screen showed nothing. “No signals. No reception, folks.” He announced, pocketing his phone. The transfer student’s calm façade was almost enviable. He nodded in agreement with Kazuo’s suggestion. “We got no other choice. W-Whatever that thing was, we better prepare for more.”

His hands felt clammy as they wiped themsevles against his jeans. The sweat may be gone, but the trembles still remained. However, his fear was nothing compared to the pleading gaze of one of the foreign students. He aimed a disappoint look to his fellow classmates who had spoken so far yet made no move to help the poor lad. He wasn’t sure if he was of steady mind and nerve to fully support the guy without adding more weight, but he couldn’t stand by at such a sight. Sasaki may need help, but they needed to help themselves before they could claim such a feat. As much as Sasaki was in physical danger, a mental breakdown was just as dangerous especially for the structure of the group.

As Dai reached out for the helpless student, his hands continued to shiver and his heart pounded. Stupid, stupid! He huffed and smacked his hands against his legs, beating the shivers out of them until they became numb.

The foreign student would soon feel an arm wrap around his shoulders as Dai crouched next to him with a reassuring gaze.

“Hey, hot stud, keep it together. C’mon, breathe. Talk to me.” the blond coaxed in a steady voice and placed a hand over the chubby male’s that were on the crossbow. It wouldn't do for a nervous guy to aim. He desperately hoped that his own palms weren’t sweating, but there were slight trembles that remain. Almost as to demonstrate, but only for his own benefit, he breathed deeply. "I'm Dai. Dai Kumura. What's your name?"

Gruffydd was greatly entertained by the Professor. He was aloof, to be sure, and he seemed dismissive of the course and his students, but according to Ms. Sasaki, the two of them had both put a great deal of effort into actually getting this course into the school for the year. And then there was the fact that the Professor pronounced his name correctly—nobody pronounced his name correctly, not in this country, not without serious concerted effort. And while it was possible that he had put that effort in, Gruffydd didn't think it was very likely.

Then he mentioned his hangover. Gruffydd managed to keep his laughter restrained to a chuckle, but it was difficult. Of course he's distant. He can probably barely think through his pounding headache. It's his own fault for drinking on the last day of Summer, but I guess that only makes it all the funnier. Gruffydd grabbed his share of the equipment, before following after Ms. Sasaki. A fieldwork-based class? Well, this just might be more interesting than I thought.

---

The "equipment," whatever it was, was fairly heavy. Gruffydd wasn't having too much trouble with it, owing to his considerable bulk, but he had to admit to himself that he couldn't go on like this forever. But things took a turn for the strange when Ms. Sasaki found a great big hole in the ground. A great big circular hole. Housing a large, shadowy arm.

He was as stunned as most of his classmates when it reached up and grabbed Ms. Sasaki, but he sprung into action when Kazuo called for it. Fat lot of good it did, though, aside from delaying the inevitable. His mind and speech were a rain of Welsh expletives as he was dragged into the abyss.

---

Gruffydd woke to the panicked shouting of the other white guy—Jonathan, wasn't it?—and soon came to the realization that he was in some twisted version of Nichibotsu. At first he panicked, his heartbeat echoing in his ears, his every limb trembling as he worked his way to his feet. Kazuo mentioned finding some method of defense, finding a way out. Part of him was furious at the transfer student—How the ever-loving fuck can he be so calm!?—but he kept that part of him in check. Nagashi was right after all.

His anger did eke out when one of his classmates, Gruffydd forgot his name, asked them to pardon an "outburst." "There's a few more important things to think about than propriety." But he stopped himself there. No. That won't get you anywhere. We've got to get out. Out of this madhouse. How did we get in here in the first place? Right, Ms. Sasaki and the arm. The arm of... whatever thing carrying her is, most likely. So... find another hole? No, that was nonsense, his mind wandered briefly, over how they'd been near the hole in the first place. Because the Professor had sent them... The Professor...

"Unlucky you, getting stuck in this class."

Gruffydd could feel a pit growing in his stomach. He knew. It was the only reasonable explanation, to Gruffydd's mind, swept up in his anger as it was. He allowed the concession that the Professor might not have known that it would happen, but Gruffydd was convinced that he knew it could. If he were in his right mind, he might protest how little evidence that actually was to go on, but he wasn't in his right mind.

Then that same classmate who madethe "outburst" decided to set off after Sasaki. Sasaki. Sasaki. The Professor's assistant. She'd actually been trying to tell us what the fuck was up with that hole before that arm appeared. And then, as another classmate opted to join the first, Gruffydd realized a few things.

"Ms. Sasaki seemed to know a bit about the hole. She might actually know a way out. Getting her back is probably our best bet for getting out of this place." All signs of fear had vanished. It was still there, inside of him, but it had been buried under a mountain of anger, and the resolve to get back to the school and get an explanation out of the Professor, ideally by force.

“Hey, hot stud, keep it together. C’mon, breathe. Talk to me. I'm dai Kumura. What's your name?"

Johnathan gazed, confused and a bit out of the loop when he felt his hand being rested on by another. Johnathan shook his head, and looked at Kumura, his face trembling into a smile. Johnathan hadn't realized just how loopy he was acting, and when Kumura spoke up, Johnathan twitched a little but spoke back to hopefully relief himself of the fear.

"J- Johnathan M- McKenna"

raising his arm, he rested a hand on his shoulder and pulled himself onto his feet, frowning and gazing at the ground, apologetically.

"S- Sorry. I- I didn't know what came over me, everything just... just changed and..."

Johnathan stopped looking at the ground and instead looked at Dai Kumura, he didn't want him to worry about him, though he felt glad he cared for him in this scenario, he needed people he could rely on like him, but most of all he hoped he could return the favor and help out as well. He slowed his speech to make sure he didn't talk too fast and make himself worried all over again.

"Sorry, It's the... adrenaline I think? I- i saw something grab Miss Sasaki. I think it was the thing that grabbed her... It looked like... something out of a damn horror movie...!"

He tried to control his breathing by closing his eyes and counting to ten. Of all the times, this was not the time to be a burden. Even if his legs were trembling he had a weapon. A weapon was a good start, better than being defenseless. After he counted he relaxed, and looked around him.

"We're... in the hole. That's the only thing I remember, we fell in, and appeared here... It can't be the real downtown I mean... life... doesn't work like that... I... right?" He looked to Dai for an answer, even though he was certain he wouldn't receive one, he noticed other students already ready to move on.

"... I don't want Miss Sasaki to..." His face went pale again, but instead he shook his head, not wanting to say the dreaded three letter word.

"Miss Sasaki could be in danger... W- we should try and find her. I- I think that should be our main Pri-P- prio- Priority."

Johnathan then turned to look back at Dai.

"A- And thank you... Not... many people actually... well... Bother to do what you did there..." Johnathan spoke, a brief smile pushing through his scared frown as he tightened his hold on the crossbow, his aim less fidgety and more relaxed, not perfect but it was good for now. He aimed in the direction Sasaki was taken before gazing at his fellow classmates.

"A- Alright guys... L- lets getter done, y- yeah?" He tried to joke, to relieve some of their and his own tension. Standing alongside gruffydd. He looked fearless, and it helped some of the tension he himself was feeling, agreeing to what he had to say, Johnathan nodded his head.

Tensions were definitely high amongst the group. Mixed emotions combined with the confusion they all felt would eventually lead to quite a few issues, not that there weren't already some. Johnathan almost gone mad for a moment there but, fortunately, Dai managed to calm him down, much to Kazuo's appreciation. Saito, Shinku, and Gruffydd - he remembered his classmates' names from the roll call - were already dead set in rescuing Sasaki, which Kazuo agrees with, but to go off alone would be quite the foolish thing to do at the moment. Kazuo walks over to them and explained that they needed to keep a cool head, especially considering the circumstances. Once everyone is ready to leave, they'll do it as a group. He then made his way over to Jonathan and Dai. He nodded at Jonathan and gave him a confident smile then thanked Dai for helping calm Johnathan down. There were still five students that had yet to woke: Ito, Toshiro, Minto, Haruto, and Masako.

He kneeled down to check for any visible injuries. Fortunately, there were none he could see. Whether that's a different story when they finally wake will be dealt with later but, considering the physical state of the others, it's pretty likely these five are fine too. Kazuo looked to the others and mentioned they all have something or another to defend themselves and suggested they go look for more weapons for the rest of the group. A few should stay back and watch the still-unconscious students though.