[https://i.postimg.cc/W1Ky7MsY/scene-cut2.png]
MAY 12, 2063 | 4:51:27 PM
ULTIMA CITY, NORTHERN DISTRICT
"NO! WAIT! PLEASE!" yelled out a man running away from something. He was battered up, holding onto his broken arm as he hastefully ran around in alleyways trying to escape whoever attacked him.
"PLEASE SPARE ME! I WAS GIVEN ORDERS BY MY BOSS! I NEVER WANTED THIS!" He begged the attacker to spare him for all the atrocities he had pulled. "I'LL DO WHATEVER YOU ASK ME OF! JUST LET ME GO!"
As he makes another left, he sees an alleyway blocked by a wall of energy. He hit a dead end, it seemed like it was over for him. He gritted his teeth in fear and his legs were shaking extremely. He turns around and sees a red aura appearing in front of his eyes.
He screams in terror. "PLEASEEE!"
The red aura stopped moving. Is it after him? Is it even a real person, or just a figment of his imagination? The aura slowly turned towards the direction the man came from. It then looked back at the man, who was trembling in fear. The aura smiled wickedly.
"Well well, looks like you've been found. You have nowhere to go, so if you do as I ask, then I might keep you alive." The aura spoke with a voice that sounded robotic, with a little tinge of an angelic ambience that was captivating.
The aura was obscuring the body of the attacker, which made him look even more ominous and terrifying. Who is this person really?
"Tell me." The aura squatted down to the fearful man's level. The man bit his toenails to the point it cut through the flesh surrounding it, making it bleed. He was very scared.
"What do you know about the Class-10?" The aura smirked.
[https://i.postimg.cc/W1Ky7MsY/scene-cut2.png]
MAY 12, 2063 | 5:10:28 PM
ULTIMA CITY, ST. EVANGELINE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
"A job?" A confused voice echoed through my ears. It was my lazy friend, who was sitting elegantly with a burger on her hand. "I'm too lazy to get a job. Besides, I have a dream! Why would I waste my precious hours doing something like filling up empty aisles?"
"That's the point. You earn money by filling up empty aisles. Every dream starts with a little bit of money. You're not thinking out of the box, Ritsune-senpai." I respond quickly.
"Huhh? Who gave you the right to put your senpai in her place! You're a third year and I'm a fourth year. I overrank you at everything!" She laughed while she verbally bashes me. I sigh in frustration but I also break into a small laughter after.
"Ahh, Class-10. You must be so happy getting all that 10 grand paychecks every week. You're basically a millionaire!" Ritsune added.
Yeah, I am basically a Class-10 now. I have been for a year now, but it wasn't publicly announced until now because of that... traumatizing project that I was forced to undertake a few years ago. But... even being a Class-10 has it's advantages. I have money. A lot of money. I have so much money that I don't even know what to do with them. My family is granted permanent citizenship and guaranteed Hi-Quad protection, and my little sister is given extra help in developing her abilities as she's currently enrolled into the Intrinium Program.
But the downsides are that I'm basically going to become popular now. I think that fame's a stupid thing. I feel like privacy is important but if you're a popular person you basically need to forget that privacy is even a thing. I once had to kick a paparazzi down because they were getting too up on my face.
"Heheh... I guess you could say that." I laugh it off. "It's not like I wanted the money or anything, I just wanted a nice position to live my life in populari........Are you okay?" I cut my sentence off as I see my grumpy senpai's face turn into a depressed, angry look.
"You... have all that money... and you don't even want it?!" Ritsune yells as her voice echoed through the entire cafetaria. "Give me that money!"
"No! What if my family needs it?" I reply quickly, protecting my little school case.
"Aghhh! Why do juniors never value their senpai?!" She facepalmed.
She's obviously guilt tripping to snatch my money. I originally didn't want to hand her any money because she has a shopping addiction and she compulsively spends. I once saw her spend five-thousand UlCreds in 15 minutes.
"Well..." I said. "...I'll give you half of the cash in my digital bank if you stop acting weird and get a job, that's only two thousand, though."
"What?! Two thousand for stopping from stealing money from a Class-10, you're really low-balling yourself, you know that... Alright, fine, give it to me now!" She demanded.
"Okay, okay..." I sigh and reach into my school case, taking out my phone to send it to her digitally.
"Err... What are you doing, Suha-chan?" Ritsune asks suspiciously.
"Just sending you the money. Don't worry, you won't lose a thing, so please go get a real job already, you've been unemployed for a month now and you still haven't found a decent one." I unlock my phone and go straight into my UltBank.
"I know that, it's just that I hate working, it makes me feel so useless and worthless. Plus, it's not like you need to work, you have a nice and rich family backing you up. You could actually be living a carefree lifestyle if you wanted to, so why aren't you?" Ritsune continues. She's really going deep into this.
"Well... Living a carefree lifestyle is hard for a Class-10." As I talk, I type in the security codes needed to transfer money to my senpai.
"Oh yeah! Come to think of it. Ever since you became a Class-10, you don't seem so happy about it." She ponders aloud. "Like, back in primary school you were so hell-bent on becoming a Class-10, even when we enrolled into the Intrinium Program." She continues.
"I... eugh... Heh! I just realized that being a Class-10 doesn't immediately make you classy and amazing! I guess... The things that I had to go to reach this level didn't make it that pleasant than I expected it to be." I make a sly innuendo about the things I went through in the Dark Infinite Project a few years ago. Luckily I know that my senpai is stupid when she's serious so there is nothing to worry about.
"Huh... Fair enough. Developing your abilities all the way from being a mere Class-2 does make it sound like you worked very hard. But even so! You should take pride into that! You're one of the most unstoppable people in the city now!" Ritsune says.
"Yeah. That's right."
"I mean, your power is so unique! You can replicate abilities when you see them or when you imagine it! Do you realize how powerful that is?!" Her voice elevates the more she talks.
"Uh... yeah."
"That sort of power should just place you in First-Ranked right away! I don't even understand how that Aoyami kid is First-Ranked! His power seems so bland."
"Mhm..." Oh, here we go. She won't stop talking now.
"And you're not even a first-rate powerhouse, you're a power house. It's not fair that you can do more than one ability and still be a lower rank than that 'Acceleration' guy. Why isn't anyone taking you seriously?"
"Because of that, huh...?" I respond blandly.
"You could be a powerhouse if you wanted to. You are a powerhouse in the making, you are a powerhouse in the process, you are a powerhouse of power."
If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
"Uh huh..." I respond blandly once again. She's babbling like crazy.
"And what about that Dark Matter Second-Ranked tired-and-wanting-to-die anime protagonist looking wannabe? The fact that he is second-ranked makes me want to tear his face apart! He sounds like a typical edgy nincompoop from a edgy anime like Tokyo Ghoul or something!"
"... Dark Matter Manipulation is pretty fucked up, you know...?" I put more emphasis on the 'fucked up' part.
"And don't get me started on that fire manipulator guy! Yeah, we get it. He can manipulate fire. But HOW is he THIRD-RANKED?! Everybody could manipulate fire if they wanted to. It's like the most basic ability there is!"
"Do you even know what he can do...?" I respond blandly again and again. I'm getting tired of this. I hear Ritsune finally sighing, meaning that she stopped babbling. "Atleast you're not a rank lower than a light manipulator, or a energy manipulator." She finally added.
"It does feel like a honor to be on par with those guys. They are almost loved by everyone. Even though fame's a stupid thing, being loved is a different feeling." I smile as I take out my Capri-Sun from my school case. "Zeus was one of the best Class-10 anyone had ever seen. Mesaki was a different beast, and Megumu-senpai was a heroine for most people... including me."
Ritsune raised an eyebrow while I rambled about the former Class-10, sipping her tea and then gently placing it back on the table. She looks at me, smiling. "You and your... weird admirations."
I smile as I look out the big window next to us. "Heh."
[https://i.postimg.cc/W1Ky7MsY/scene-cut2.png]
MAY 12, 2063 | 6:21:03 PM
ULTIMA CITY, CENTRE DISTRICT
"REPENT! GIVE YOUR SOULS TO JESUS CHRIST AND YOU WILL BE SAVED FROM ALL TERROR!" A spiritual christian yelled out. It was very busy in the Ultima Square, with every kiosk and seat filled with people.
The crowd was gathered in front of the stage, with the man that was speaking wearing a white robe, a black cross around his neck, and a long beard that reached down to his chest.
The speaker was a priest, and the reason for this event today is that they were trying to spread the word of God and save the souls of the sinners that are in this city. "SINNERS! Repent and give your soul to Jesus Christ! or you will be damned for all eternity!!"
"They should ban the freedom of speech in this Square! It's so annoying to hear a priest propagating their worldview on me every time." A grumpy Ritsune walked down the busy Square.
"Well, it's not really fair to say that. There are many religions that believe in the same things, and it's not like you can just ignore them. You shouldn't treat other faiths as inferior, either. That's a bad habit to have, you know?" Natsuha said.
Ritsune looked at me, annoyed at how calm I was. "Look who's talking! Just because you became a Class-10, doesn't mean you're automatically smarter than me!" She pouted. "I'm your senpai, remember!"
"There you go again with 'senpai' this, 'senpai' that! There's a reason why I'm even going to St. Evangeline, Ritsune-senpai!" I yell at her. "Every day you prove me wrong with how stupider you can be." I chuckle, resting my arm on her shoulder. She was around 5 inches shorter than me.
"I-I'm not stupid!!" She pouted again. "...Alright... just this once, I'll allow you to rest your arm on my shoulder." She felt defeated and submitted to me for the first time. How sweet! I finally win for once.
"Hey, let's take a picture together, okay? We'll take a photo of the two of us and post on social media, saying we are best friends and stuff..." I say as I stop walking, to seek acceptance from Ritsune.
"Fine fine, let's take a picture, but only if you take it yourself and make sure it's not too shaky and blurry. If it is, then you will pay for it in pain and suffering for the next week!" Ritsune says, smirking like a villain. It's like she's trying to get revenge on me for defeating her.
But before I could even take a selfie, I get a notification. "Eh..." It was from Megumu.
"M-M-M-M-M-Megum...Megumu-senpai just sent me a message!!" I yell out hard. Everybody looked at me. Some of them were shocked that I even knew who Megumu Shiena was, the former Fourth-Ranked. "I-I need to go! So sorry, Ritsune-senpai! Go on home without me!" I run the other way as I wave to Ritsune.
"... She just left me all alone, that bitch!" Ritsune said in annoyance and frustration.
[https://i.postimg.cc/W1Ky7MsY/scene-cut2.png]
MAY 12, 2063 | 6:37:00 PM
ULTIMA CITY, A CERTAIN HOSPITAL ROOFTOP
As I see the hospital from around the street, I activate my AFR, utilizing my ability to super jump on one of the buildings to gain more momentum to reach the rooftop of the hospital, where Megumu's currently at. I use the railing as a lay-up, before turning my back to the building and jumping off of it to land on the roof of the hospital.
I exhale and turn off my AFR. "Megumu-senpai, are you here?" I call out to her, looking around in search of her. I see no one. I start getting a little bit worried. "Megumu-senpai??"
"BOO!" I hear a little yell behind me.
"AAAH!" I yell out, falling down. As I lift my head up I see Megumu laughing her ass off. "HAHAHAH! I got you good, didn't I?! HAHAHHAHA!"
"That's not funny! I thought you got attacked or something!"
"No, no. You're so slow, you wouldn't catch a fly. And besides, it's been a long time since we've seen each other, right, Natsu-chan?"
"Yeah, it's been a while."
"You know, you look different now. You still hanging out with Ritsune-kun?"
"Well yeah..." I say. "As annoying as she can get, I still have a lot of fun being around her."
"Aww, you two are so cute together. I'm jealous. Maybe you should date, too-" I cover Megumu's mouth in embarrassment. "W-We don't need to do that!! Honestly... where do you even get the idea? We're just friends!" I sigh and sit beside her. "So... why did you message me?"
Megumu also sighs, grooming her hair. "Ever since the event from 7 years ago, I've been powerless, and thus lost my Class-10 status. They've been checking my OCR and have stated that I'm permanently locked from it, meaning that I'm unable to use my ability ever. You know I only have 4 months to live. If there's no OCR for me to go into, there also won't be a AFR able to emit. I'd basically lose my sense of calculation to even perform daily tasks. I'd be a vegetable with a non-working brain."
I feel a knot in my stomach as I hear her talk about this. The event that almost destroyed all of the old Class-10... I remember that. She was also a victim of it. I wish I was there to help her, but I couldn't do anything when they forced a project down my throat. I still feel guilty about it to this day.
"But, thats besides the point. The reason why I brought you here is because there's a underground group going around collecting OCR data from innocent SPECs, utilizing them to transfer their ability into their OCR."
My eyes widened. If there is one thing I absolutely fucking hate is underground human experiments. This definitely sounds like one. "Are you sure you aren't exaggerating this?"
"This isn't something I can exaggerate, Natsu-chan. We both know from past events that the higher-ups conduct human experiments too. They'll allow this kind of stuff. Listen... They are trying to create what they call 'Multi-Utilization'."
Multi-Utilization? Sounds lame. The seriousness in Megumu-senpai's face scares me. I've never seen her so serious. I know her as a chaotic idol. Like... more chaotic than Ritsune.
"If you can believe in the rumors, that is. They say that the next generation of Specs will be created by using the OCRs from many SPECs and combining them, giving birth to a SPEC able to utilize multiple abilities at once."
"...Isn't that literally my ability?" I pout as I look at her in seriousness.
"No. Your ability derives from the fact that you are able to do anything as long as you see or can imagine that ability. Their method is similar to the Dual-Skill incident 13 years ago."
Now that's something I'm not familiar with. 13 years ago? I'm that many years old!
"If you are a Multi-Utilization SPEC, you can utilize many SPEC abilities. Be it Psychometry, Telekinesis, Ice Manipulation, Light Manipulation, Fire Manipulation, Acceleration, you name it. There is no limit to what the individual can do. The person can have more than 15 abilities at once and be even stronger than..." She stopped.
"What's wrong, Megumu-senpai? Why are you stopping midway through your explanation?"
"I was just thinking that this is really bad. What if it gets out of control?"
She's right to think that. If it gets out of control, then the entire meaning of SPECs and abilities are rewritten. We, as normal SPECs with one unique ability will turn into worthless beings, fodder trash for the new Multi-Utilization SPECs. Like lamb to the slaughter. I get shivers just thinking about it. It's like a civil war!
"I don't want that. You're right, you should stop them. Right now!" I say, standing up.
"'You?'" She said in a monotone voice. "Natsu-chan. You forgot that I'm powerless. This is not something I can do. This is something only YOU can do."
"...But... I'm still a teenager! I'm going to school and-"
Megumu looks at me with sad eyes. She sits back down and facepalms. "You're right... Sometimes I forget you're still a child. You being a Class-10 made you look more like an adult than a teenager. It's almost frightening. I'm sorry, Natsu-chan. I don't want to burden you with a huge responsibility, especially now that you've become a student and are attending school."
She's right again. I'm going to school and I have a little sister to take care of... But at the same time, I can't let another experiment haunt the city! Especially when something like this can start a literal fucking civil war! I do want to take it down! I do want to fight, but... I don't want to worry my friends and my family.
"It was wrong of me to ask you such a thing... Just go home. We'll talk later." Megumu stood up, walking over to the door which leads to stairs that went down into the hospital.
I facepalm in fear. I'm scared. I can probably do this, but... Agh! I don't know... I guess it's okay if it doesn't get too big. Maybe it won't even happen in the first place.
As Megumu opens the door, I take a step, loudly stomping the ground to let her know. "I'll do it!"
Megumu stops on her tracks and her eyes widen up. She turns her head to me and looks as me in shock.
"I'll do it!!" I yell again, while keeping a straight, serious face.
"I'll take that experiment down and eliminate the dark side of the city! I'll do it!"
Megumu couldn't help but smile as she saw the fire in me. "I won't let another experiment happen! Not while I'm around! And I'll show it to you before you die!" I shed a little tear as I grab my chest. "I may be a little teenager, but I'm a Class-10. And if no other Class-10 is going to take it down, I WILL!" I can the hype building in me as I jump onto the edge of the building.
"When that experiment goes silent, you better prostrate yourself before me! Heh! I'll be better than you!" I jump off the building and glide through the street. I see people walking on the street and cars passing roads while I glide above all of them.
"That's right. The higher-ups got nothing on me. I'll show them that there is still good in this city! I'll be the hero nobody deserves, but everybody needs! I'll be the light in the darkness."
"I'll be a hero!"