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MAY 18, 2063 | 2:19:01 PM
ULTIMA CITY, ST. EVANGELINE MIDDLE SCHOOL
It was eerily still in the cafeteria of the school I'm going to. There's minimal people and there is no Mieno that's screaming the entire time. It felt easy, calm and for the most part... actually interesting. School cafeteria's are a no for me, because there's always something that pollutes the entire atmosphere. Obnoxious people screaming, clique speeches... Finally, some peace for once.
"Suha-chan, why aren't you eating your food?!" I hear a voice calling me. Of course... Ritsune is here. How can I not forget the most annoying person in the world a.k.a my senpai?
"I don't know. Is there something wrong with me not eating food?" I reply with a cold tone. I hate it. Ever since I got discharged from the hospital since my humiliating beatdown, she's been following me around, not leaving me alone. I get that she's worried, but doesn't she know about privacy? I feel like she should respect my privacy atleast!
"Are you serious right now, Suha-chan! You gotta eat your food to grow up!" She smirks at me. She knows exactly what she's doing to annoy me.
"You sound like my mom right now." I reply back with a deep sigh following after. I utilize both my hands to keep my head upright while I sigh away and away. There aren't that many exciting things to do these days. It might be just me, though. I got really depressed because I got beat down by a terrorist... and that's all over the news! Now the other Class-10 will think that I'm weak and useless! They'll probably target me too! ... Am I overthinking this?
"If you're not trying your best to recover then damn right am I going to be your mom until you recover completely!" She responded with a smug face.
"Noooo... You already caused my privacy to be non-existent because you keep following me around! Don't ruin it even further..."
"What?"
"I'm saying that you're following me around every minute of the day! You even walk into the cubicles I enter to take a piss! Honestly, has your mother never taught you about privacy?!"
"H- ..." I finally shut her up. Normally she'd win over me everytime, but finally I shut her up for the first time in such a long time. "A-as your senpai, I-it is my duty to make sure you are safe! It's not like I want to see you piss or anything, you idiot!" There she goes with her usual tsundere personality tsundere-ing all over the place. It's almost funny to see her have a mental breakdown.
"What sane person walks into the same cubicle to protect me while I'm taking a piss! It's a toilet, for fuck's sakes! What's a toilet going to do? Like...? Is the toilet magically going to develop some sort of ability that'll leave me decapitated?" I'm overexaggerating this, by the way. But it's the only way to shut her up.
"W-well... When you put it that way-" I interrupt her.
"You're taking this 'protection' thing way too far! You barely even leave me any room for me to take a piss! Oh, and I've seen you peeking into the other cubicles to 'make sure that they don't attack all of a sudden'. Aren't you a clever little pervert?" I smirk while I tease her a bit more.
"HUUHHH?!! That's way over the line! I'm your senpai, you know? How could you say something like that to me! I'm not a pervert!!" She grabs both of my shoulders and starts shaking me.
Now I possess a smug face. I let myself get shaken around but my smug face wouldn't fade away. I'm having too much fun with this. I look at her and utter a single word. "Pervert."
"NOO! Stop it stop it!" She covered her ears with her bento, feeling incredibly embarrassed. "I hate being called a pervert when I'm actually not one, okay?! Why do you find this so funny?! What the hell are you thinking right now? Are you really going to keep doing this?! Because if you do then we'll be enemies forever!" Her voice was trembling as she spoke to me.
"Oh come on. If you were really a normal girl then why would you peek into another cubicle to 'protect me from danger'? That doesn't even sound like an excuse anymore, it's just weird!" I tease her a little more.
"Suha-chan, you're mean! You know that you can't make fun of me because I'm your senpai!" She pouts in front of me. "I have the bigger voice because I am older than you!"
"That cheap little 'I'm older than you' trick won't work on me, Ritsune-senpai. You may be my senpai, but you're ditzy. Yep yep."
"DITZY?!" She turns beet red and starts screaming at me for calling her a ditzy person.
"Hehehehehe... Ow! Ow! Hey! Stop that, you're hurt- OW!" She starts punching me. Whenever she's angry or embarrassed, she doesn't hold back. Ritsune is a hard-hitter, and those punches are... painful.
"Ow! Ow! Alright! Alright! Stop- OW!" Every punch takes a grunt out of my mouth.
"Stop calling me ditzy! And apologize to your senpai!" She says, still red from embarrassment.
"Okay..." I nod reluctantly. "Sorry about that. I'll stop making fun of you."
"Really?" Her eyes light up happily when I say so.
"No."
".................." A long silence invades the cafeteria. Other people are eating their food and talking to their friends... While we're sitting in silence... staring at each other. I feel scared now. There's no predicting what she's going to do if she's silent like that. Did I take this too far...? OH GOD!
"NATSUHA!!!" Oh god, she said my full first name! I'm in trouble! "GET OVER HERE!" She jumps on me and tackled me to the floor. "Make fun of me, huh?! Well I'll do this!"
No no no! I know exactly what she's going to do! She starts tickling me all over the place.
"Wait! Ritsune-senpai! Wait! I yield! I yie- Hehe- AHAHAHAHAH!" It's no use, I'm already laughing hard. "I win! You can't resist my power, Suha-chan!" She says proudly while continuing her tickle attack.
I must retaliate! "I won't... give up... that easily!" I grab her wrists and pull them down to stop her from attacking me further. "I have an ace up my sleeve."
"Huh?" She looks at me confusedly. "What does that mean- WOAAAGGH-" She screams as I twist her arm to the point where her whole body performs a 180 degree spin. Now she's the one on the ground! "Class-10 don't yield that easily, Ritsune-senpai~" A moe-like voice escapes my mouth before starting my own tickle attack.
But before I could tickle her, a teacher stands in front of us, having spectated our little banter from afar. I gulp as fear strikes my whole body. I look at her. "A...a... S-S-S-S-S-Sunao-sensei... We... we were just-"
She started looking around and saw the mess on the ground. Oh no... I must've accidentally dropped my bento full of food when Ritsune jumped me!
I feel really scared. Yawara Sunao is unhinged... and scary. If you're on her bad side, you're going to die...
"Who made the mess on the floor?" She looks at both of us.
"A...a...a...a...a... I... I... It.... it..." I'm too afraid to even say a word! "I... i..."
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"Are you seriooooouuuussssss......................." Ritsune utters in disbelief. She's been trying hard to be accepted as a good student since her first year, and now this? I feel bad for her... I'm sorry, Ritsune.
"Yeah... I don't know why they are being so strict lately, but I guess we have to be goody two shoes now..." I say while a deep sigh escapes me. I feel bad for Ritsune for the most part.
"Yeah! I don't understand that at all! We were just playing, right?!"
"Mhm, we were-"
"Why does this warrant a detention, suspension or even something so extreme like expulsion?!" Here she goes, blabbering on.
"I... don't know."
"What do you mean you don't know? Did that stupid Headmaster not tell you?!"
"... You know... he's never punctual about what he says."
"Oh my goddddddduuuggghhh..." She groans whilst facepalming and walking in a circle. "I hate that Headmaster so much! I tried so hard to become one of the greatest students in this stupid school, and now it comes falling down because of one harmless thingggggg.... Alright! I get it when it becomes like... really physical and out of hand, but we were only playing around. We're friends, duudee... Can't they not see that?! I can't believe this is a prestigious school. They can't manage for shit!"
"You're doing it again," I interrupt her rant before giving her an apologetic smile. She stares at me with a expressionless face.
"I'm sorry," I apologize once more before continuing. "... But there's nothing we can do about it now. Let's go back inside, okay?" She nods reluctantly as we walk back to the school building...
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MAY 18, 2063 | 8:23:38 PM
ULTIMA CITY, CENTRE DISTRICT, THE ULTISQUARE
The square is really packed with a lot of people at this time of day and hour. Ritsune's doing Ritsune stuff while I'm sat down on a bench, thinking hard about the condition Megumu's in while trying to throw every last experiment in the city out of the window. I look gloomy and Ritsune will realize that pretty soon.
Part of me wants to tell Ritsune that I'm undertaking such a dangerous challenge... treading the dark side of the city and destroying what sick plans they have... but... part of me fears that if I told her... she would put herself in trouble with me. I can't do that. The fact that I'm even thinking about telling someone my secret is crazy enough as it is. Besides... would she even believe me?
"Hey Natsuha!" Ritsune suddenly shouts at me from across the square. "You're not gonna go home today? You want some ice cream?" She asks while pointing at a shop nearby us.
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I look up at her in disbelief, blinking slowly. "You... are inviting me out for ice cream...?" My voice sounds hollow inside my head.
Ritsune smiles widely while nodding, clearly very excited. She looks like a little kid begging their parents for something sweet. "Are you Ritsune-senpai?" I utter bluntly.
"Oh come on! Just because I'm being nice to you doesn't mean I'm a completely different person! Do you want ice cream or not? I could literally get two and eat two!" She pouted, looking at me.
"Alright, alright..." I force a faint smile while also looking at her. "You know what I want, right?" I say before giving her my money.
She laughs. "Fu fu fu! As your senpai, It is obligatory for me to know what you prefer! Now, you sit tight! I will be back, hehe!" She started running to the ice cream shop.
I just watch her run away. This girl has no idea how much trouble she's causing me... but sometimes... she's really thoughtful too... so... whatever.
I'm wanted by that 'Multi-Utilization Project' corporation that oversees it. It's my fault for placing myself as the main target. I might've even put my friends in danger because of what I'm doing. Is it really okay for me to keep contact with Ritsune and Nazuki? What about my family? They know who I am... it'll only be a matter of time before they'll target my loved ones too.
I should probably cut ties now, while I still can. But then again, if I did that - Ritsune would never forgive me. And honestly speaking, I don't think I could live without her anymore either. Maybe there are other ways I can protect them from getting hurt. But what... What alternative could there be?
"Suha-chan?"
Wait... I could probably get help from one of the Hi-Quad branches! If anyone knows how to deal with Multi-Utilizers better than me, it'd have to be those guys! They protect the city anyways! Kazuya... The second-ranked Class 10 is the Hi-Quad leader of the BREAKER branch... He saved me once... but... I don't think he'd want to save me the second time. I can't burden him with a bigger problem while he's going around saving people in need.
"Suha-chaaaannn! Hello... Are you even listening?"
But! I am not done thinking there! There's also the Sunshining Heroine of the City! Joan Elise! The Fifth-Ranked Class 10! She is the leader of the Hi-Quad leader of the VOID branch! I could ask her for help too... but... She's more selfish... Would she even believe if I told her? I don't know...
"Suha-chaaaaannnn!! Your ice cream is meltiiinggg~"
What about Natsumi Urie? The Class 9 Hi-Quad leader of the CALIBER branch? She seems more serious and... Agh... Am I really in a position where I can't do an honest request to someone else?! No way! That would be like asking my friends to die! But what other choice do I have here? What should I do now? What options are left open to me?
"Suhaaa-"
"I'm sorry, Ritsune-senpai... But this is all on me. It's my fault." I blurt out all of a sudden. My depressing side taking over my personality and my body while I shed a little tear. She's looking down on me with concern yet overshadowed by her confusion.
"I've put you and Mihara-san in danger... All because of my incompetence. Hadn't I been better at handling my situation - things wouldn't have turned out to be so bad. But it did... and now you and Mihara-san are in danger." I really didn't want to say anything... but if everything's going bad, then I might as well.
Her look is penetrating me. I don't like it. This may be the first time I'm seeing Ritsune with a face that screams absolute concern and worry. I don't know what to say, I don't know what to do. I don't know how to deal with this...
"I don't know what to do, Ritsune-senpai... It's eating me away... whatever is happening." I facepalm in fear and sorrow.
"What's gotten into you all of a sudden, Suha-chan? You're acting weird today..." She says. "It's like something really bothers you or like there's some big problem?" She asks with genuine curiosity. She looks up at me with her beautiful eyes filled with concern. She takes my hands in hers. I'm not sure why, but I can't hold back anymore and let out everything.
"Ritsune-senpai... please listen to me," I say while crying. Ritsune tilts her head curiously, waiting for me to continue. As much as I wanted to stop myself from saying anything further, it's too late now.
"I have undertaken a serious mission... one that could be the death of not just me... but yours and Mihara-san's too." A deep sigh leaves my mouth after finishing the first batch of sentences I will continue blurting out.
"Megumu-senpai asked me to stop a notorious organisation that is currently experimenting with humans to create Multi-Utilizers... To take over the city and overthrow the current board." I say, shaking a bit.
"I was supposed to infiltrate their hideout, find information about who they are working on creating Multi-Utilizers and then destroy every building that they conduct this experiment in." I tell her everything. Ritsune's face is still blank. Her eyes seem to be staring into some faraway place. She seems to be thinking
"But now they know who I am and they're going use everything in their power to seize me and everyone I know and hold so dear to my heart... I don't... I..." I facepalm in fear again.
"This was a failed mission from the start. I should've just overlooked this. I went in, not realizing the magnitude of the damage that I would create soon after... Megumu-senpai's right... I'm still a kid. I'm in no position to meddle with the work of an actual dangerous organization..."
"... You can do it, Suha-chan!" Ritsune says, her voice sounding like she's trying her best not to cry herself. I lift my head up, looking at her in shock, questioning her sudden motivating words. "Ritsune-senpai..."
"My little junior is a vigilante! It's like I'm looking at a pure angel about to purify all evil in the world! It's so exciting!" She half-joked while retaining her over-the-top chaotic nature... before staring at me and giving off a more serious look.
"I understand that you're in a lot of pain... But... I already knew all about that." She said, smiling.
"... What do you mean by that?"
"When you were fighting the mall terorrist. I knew it was after you... When you were brutally beat down by her... I took the chance to measure her up and fight her." Ritsune said while her voice cracked a little bit. I was left in shock.
"...What..."
"She told me about a program that helped her reach your firepower... and now with what you told me... It all makes sense. You're fighting a big thing and it's taking a toll on you... I know that you'll try everything in your power to stop something bad from happening like before... and with that mindset, you'll break before you even know it."
"But... why?"
"Like I said, it's obligatory of me to know everything about my junior! I know you won't give up that easily." She chuckled. She's still wrong because I feel like giving up already. How am I supposed to take down an entire organization all by myself? But if there was anyone who could help me with this situation, then it would be Ritsune.
But... I can't burden Ritsune with this too... This is way out of her league. If I, a Class 10, ranked Fourth... can't even beat a single Multi-Utilizer then what will she even bring to the table? As offensive as that sounds... It's the truth. She's too weak to do this... I'm too weak to do this. Its a lost cause. If there was a way to reverse Megumu's condition... then I could have a little bit of hope. But no.
"I can't..."
"What do you mean, Suha-chan?"
"I can't do this, Ritsune-senpai."
"Why can't you, Suha-chan?"
"Because I'm not powerful enough."
"You're a Class-10, Suha-chan. What makes you think you're unable to create miracles?"
"I got defeated by a Multi-Utilizer. You've seen it."
"... I know, but if you believe in yourself, you can smash right through them like a superhero!"
"Just give it up, Ritsune-senpai. I can't do this."
"Suha-chan..."
"All I'll be doing is getting beat down, getting discharged from hospitals, bring my friends down by being depressed and the cycle will repeat. If I can't do it, then..."
"You won't do it alone." says a desperate and worried Ritsune, finishing my sentence while she holds my hand close to her chest. "You won't do it alone. You will do it with me."
My eyes widen up as I look at her. The thought of even having her fight alongside me is... tempting... but I'm scared of that. Ritsune is not ready! How can I tell this to her without completely shutting her down? How can I make this clear to someone who's so kind? She's always been like that ever since we met in primary school - whenever I need help or advice, she would never hesitate to lend a helping hand, despite her actual selfish and chaotic nature. Sometimes I can't believe that she can turn her personality by 180 degrees so easily.
"I don't want you to get hurt anymore, Suha-chan. I don't want you to carry this huge burden alone. I am your senpai, and senpais help their juniors. That is what they're for!" Ritsune smiles brightly. Her expression is just too cute when she does that. It reminds me of how she was back then; bashful and sassy yet full of confidence and kindness. And now, here she stands before me again, telling me all these things because she cares about me.
"Ritsune-senpai..."
"Suha-chan..."
"This'll be a dangerous road... will you be able to walk it?"
"You're asking the great Ritsune Nonomura that? Hah!"
"I'm being serious, Ritsune-senpai. You could literally die."
"But you know," says Ritsune while giving me an impish grin. "I'm not afraid of death."
"That's true." I smile at her as well. "But if I were you, I'd reconsider."
"Nope! If you get hurt, I get hurt too. That's the balance of master and apprentice, senpai and junior. I already talked about this with Mihara-san. I said to her that I wanted to help the great Inose defeat whatever was coming to her. She agreed to help because of my amazin' self!"
Her kind aura is shining brighter than usual. Her red hair flowing smoothly by the wind and her colorless yet fascinating black eyes extra open, signifying innocence. But most importantly... her 180 degree twisting personality working too greatly in my favour whenever I need mental support.
"Are you sure...?" I ask her reluctantly. "It might end up with us three dead..."
"I've already thought about that." Ritsune answers me immediately. "And that won't happen unless we have no other choice left." Ritsune smiles brightly again. "Truth is... I've been jealous of your power."
I listen to her.
"You were made a Class 10 so quickly. You kept practicing and practicing until there was no room for it. Before I already knew, you were a Class 10."
This hurts me. I wasn't made a Class 10 because I practiced. I was made a Class 10 because I was forced into a project that traumatised me greatly. This is something I haven't told her yet... nor do I have intention to tell her in a billion years. They kept my Class 10 status secret until a month ago. Since the project ended and until now, I was placed as a Class 9 SPEC and the project members basically told the media that due to the 'uniqueness' of my SPEC, they couldn't properly gauge my power. All just to hide my status as a Class 10.
Would there ever be a day that I will tell her what I've actually went through? Ritsune always thought that I was getting sick often and the sickness caused me to fall into a state of delirium... But if I told her the truth.. she wouldn't look at me the same. She wouldn't look at this city the same. This relationship that I've build up with her will falter... and be left in the dust forever. That's why I chose not to say anything about this matter. It'll only cause problems.
"I'm sorry." Ritsune suddenly says while looking down on me apologetically. "I know you're trying your best. It's wrong of me to be jealous."
"It's... okay..."
"Heh." Ritsune let out a little laughing huff. "Come on, let's go home."
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"You idiots are stalling this for an unneeded amount of time! Just bring your best people and kill that fucking girl! Kill her now, before she grows more powerful! We have the strongest SPEC in all of Ultima City! Our experiments have shown to be incredibly successful! Why must you stall this longer than it is supposed to?"
"Now hold on, Mrs. Maestera. We wouldn't want to remove our only entertainment while our business grows by the minute. We can easily defeat Inose with what we have now. To see her struggle while we bring in our weakest fighters to fight her is amusing to say the least."
"Just quit with this 'entertainment' thing! What if she teams up with the heroic Class-10 and turn our entire building into a glass floor? What will you do then, Leader?!"
"You are overreacting, Mrs. Maestera. Like you said, our experiments are proven to be a success. We are successfully capable of turning about 10 guinea pigs into full-fledged Multi-Utilizers every week. This goes without saying that we're not going to stop just because one girl has become stronger than us all."
"I am aware of your capabilities, but I'm still worried... The possibility for failure is high... She could bring the Hi-Quad to our door and destroy it completely."
"You worry too much, Mrs. Maestera. Even if she becomes the strongest in Ultima City, there's no way we can lose against her. We've got the best scientists here - the most talented ones from different factions. It would take an entire army of High Class SPECs to even put a dent on our door. It's pointless worrying about something you cannot control. If Inose manages to retaliate successfully, we will target her peers. Then this low-rated threat will end quick. But until then..."
"But I still think it'd be better to kill her before she gets stronger... That girl is a real threat. Just look at the state of things; our business has grown tremendously, and people are flocking to us in droves. For her to put us back in square one isn't just going to be embarrassing, it's going to sting! We shouldn't let that happen! We need to do whatever we can to make sure that doesn't happen."
"Mrs. Maestera. It seems that your rambling concludes that you are tired. You should get rest and come back with a clearer mind. You will be informed of any advances after your waking."
"Gh... Fine."
The defeated scientist who went by the surname Maestera grabbed her bag and made her way to the exit of the council room, feeling exhausted from paranoid thinking. For days, the organization which oversees the Multi-Utilization Project investigated the Experimentation Facility No.1 incident. They had been trying their best to find out what happened inside in full detail but were unable to locate anything substantial as they didn't have enough resources. Targeting the perpetrator proved to be a failure as well, as retaliation happened in which it made Hisame Utsu and Uruka Maestera suffering huge defeats from third-party defenders. The only thing left was for them to wait patiently until she came again - Natsuha Inose herself.
The door opened and revealed an empty hallway, illuminated by fluorescent lights overhead, the white tiles glimmering under its bright glow. As she walked towards the elevator on the other end of the hall, a sudden thought crossed her mind: What is it really that the organization is trying to accomplish? Their main objective is to create the strongest SPECs possible through experiments like this one. To take over the city and overthrow Ultia and her government, but is that really what they want to do? What could possibly go through their villainous minds?
The Leader of the Organization sat down on his chair, looking through a window from a luxurious looking building.
"She will come back." He smirked.