Chapter 4 : When Nacchan sleeps, things get heated up !
We were walking down the halls of an underground facility, Tasuku-sama and Irina-san were speaking in hushed tones while we were guided through the dark and labyrinthic hallways that comprised the Fenrir project lab.
Even now, the progression of events doesn't make any sense.
This morning, I got up, did my laps around the academy while looking at my work in progress, an optimized mix of a fortress and a modern bunker. Honestly, the more I look at it, the better it looks. I still don't know why Irina-san got to be Athena, she sucks at crafting ans architecture, and strategy, and overall combat.... Well about everything 'Athena' should be good at, to be honest.
It would have been a better fit to give me the name 'Athena' and give her 'Aphrodite'. Now nobody takes me seriously.
Ah, don't judge me, I know she went through something terrible, but that's no reason to blind myself about her faults. Besides, I left Tasuku-sama to her, against my better judgement, even though I know she can't protect him! Not that I particularly wanted to be involved with him in the first place, but my code of honor demanded it after he saved my little brother's life. As I was running my final lap towards the academy, I noticed nobody was around the tall, white building, which is pretty weird, all things considered, because today is a Tuesday and my class starts the day later, at 10 A.M.
Then again, it's a school for people with superpowers, so it's pretty normal ? Well, normal is subjective to begin with...
The entrance hall is full of people in military uniforms, which was my second clue something was off. Good thing the uniform is pretty distinctive, it would have been embarrassing to be kept from my classes because of a detail like that. Since people in AESIR have different powers, some can forego the use of uniforms, either because they don't fit or because they'd be destroyed when they transform.
My third clue came in the form of my classmate, Tanabe Souichirou. He was right behind me, unnaturally pale, eyes dead, and I could hear neither his breathing, nor his heartbeat. Yep, I've got super senses as my personal skill, as opposed to Tasuku-sama's time manipulation, or Irina-san's luck alteration. There is no justice around here! Of course, I didn't muse about that when I noticed the signs. Instead I ducked forward and broke on a sprint, screaming 'Zombie!' while throwing my schoolbag at his face to hinder his view and movements. At best, he just had a bad day and I would have to apologize, which would be better than be zombified and die in horrible torment.
I felt a rush of air above my head, heard the thundering noise of bullets and the dull thump of a body falling to the ground. I slipped on a puddle of... Blood and got caught awkwardly by someone familiar enough, even though I've never seen them before. It's the smell that tipped me off. Despite that person's appearance, which would be an European male in his late teens, that smell of musk and hazelnuts was characteristic.
"H-Himeko-senpai? What's happening?"
Green eyes crinkled amicably while a cattish grin spread on his/her face. This is getting confusing.
"Why, good morning to you too, Tena-chan! Whoa! " 'He' ducked a hit to the back of his head " Okay, okay, no time for common courtesies, got it. Short version, zombie breakout. Those ones are pretty weak, but that's because the original project was more geared towards subduing more powerful creatures. Though, don't repeat it, but things are gonna get much worse, so your little fortress plan will be put to good use soon." He whispered to me, winking mischievously as he put his hand into my sports bag and got my drawings out.
I had to breathe deeply to calm down...
Nope.
"Th-That's not a laughing matter senpai!"
My outburst got some attention from the men around and Himeko-senpai threw his arm around my shoulders waving towards the men around. This is highly inappropriate! I was about to protest some more, when his low whisper reached my ears, too faint to be heard by anyone else.
"Soon enough, your little group will be taken to another facility. I don't know how, but it is highly probable that another outbreak will take place. Your little friends will probably try to stop it, but you will die doing so if you choose to stay. Once they break out, scream 'Ratatoskr' and I'll bail you and whoever's here out. Keep in mind that I can only teleport with 4 people. Toodles!"
He gave me a two fingered salute before disappearing into the crowds. Before what he said could reach my brain, somebody caught my shoulder. I was about to beat them up when I noticed it was a really tall man in black. Like really, really tall, and his scarred face stuck into a scowl.
"Hoshisana Tena?"
"H-Hai?" That was surprising, nobody usually seeks me out....
"Friend to Suzuhiro Tasuku?"
"Hai?" Of course it was about him. It always is. Well, to be honest, I don't want to have to deal with what he has to do, so I guess it's for the better?
"And one of the people who traveled to another world and got ESP from it?"
"Hai." And I still don't now who you are or what you want, mister.
"Follow me. The others are already there."
Who, where and why? No way I'm following an intimidating, unknown man anywhere without an explanation. My narrowed eyes and my stance must have given me away, because all I got as a reaction was an amused expression and a deep, dark rumble that probably was a chuckle. He turned around and snapped his fingers, another man throwing me onto his shoulder despite my protests.
"At least one of you has a functional brain."
That offhand remark/compliment/whatever wasn't reassuring at all. I started struggling.
"Let me goooo!"
Obviously, they didn't.
A few minutes later, I'm thrown into a limo where he others are. My black hair is a mess and grey eyes are screaming bloody murder.
"Tena-chan? What's wrong ?"
I turn around and see that Tasuku-sama, Irina-san and Himitsu-senpai are already there. I immediately put myself into seiza position, blushing for being caught in an undignified situation.
"My deepest apologies. There was a situation earlier that caused me to be late."
Tasuku-sama just laughed it off, while Irina-san giggled and cuddled against his side. Himitsu-senpai, not to be overdone, pouted and clung to his other side. I kept myself from frowning. That shouldn't be the attitude of someone heading towards their doom.
I sighed, sitting on one of the seats and looking at the landscape, Himeko-senpai's words haunting me during the ride.
"You will die if you choose to stay."
The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
I turn towards the three others before taking out my phone.
At least Irina-san's feeling better.
Meanwhile, in another place...
"Are you sure, it's normal for her to sleep like that ? It's been three days already."
"Nyahaha... She's okay, mana depletion's a bitch, but she'll be alright..."
I sigh again. Madness, that whole situation. And I can't even blame Yuri anymore for that. I look flatly at the person in front of me. For some reason, Himeko turned into a blond haired male. Well, officially, it was so that she could pass herself off as Fiona's older sibling. It's easier to explain lugging around a sleeping girl if you have family around, less suspicious.
Currently, we're in a train. Himeko's never been to our destination either , so she can't teleport us there. I don't know where we're going, and still have difficulties to believe what happened, even after everything that has happened. Or, perhaps it would be more appropriate to say it is because of what happened that it is strange for me to believe it. I knew something was off with my brother when his chuuni act started to slip, two years before this whole mess started, but to discover an unknown entity had taken over...
"Stop moping, you're only a mortal, it's not as if you could do anything about it anyways."
Himeko, or Rattatoskr said, his uncaring eyes scanning some document while petting Fiona's head on his knees.
"You don't have to be a jerk about it..."
"I might be more inclined to care if you were participating out of something else than self interest."
I wince. That guy sure had a sharp tongue. That was true, but he could have been more delicate about it.
"Once again..."
"Stop complaining and man up already Nagito-nyan"
That's it, I've had enough, he's been intolerable those last three days!
"You say 'Man up', but last time I checked, I wasn't the cause of everything that happened here."
A shiver crawled up my spine, I knew that what I was saying was going too far, but I refused to back down now. To my surprise, he didn't even look angry, looking up at me with a blank face.
"Oh ? You'd prefer me to leave you to your fate then, mortal? Or maybe you're saying I haven't done enough yet ?" His empty expression left for a creepy smile. "No matter, feel free to run away again, after all, once you die, she'll know everything, and she will never forgive you for making a fool out of her. Yet again, you're a specialist in the matter, hmmm?"
That son of a ...! I grit my teeth and glared at him, jumping on my feet. Why does everyone keep on reminding me of this time?!
" That was uncalled for! It was either that or that woman would have ended me in a fit of temper and you know what she did to those people! Are you telling me I should have closed my eyes to whatever was going on and smiled as if nothing was wrong with the situation ?!"
"You had enough influence on Yuri to prevent the Queen from going out, the only thing that allowed her to wake up fully was your inability to do what was needed. And before you protest even more, the whole mess could have been averted had you not messed up her ritual."
My head throbbed a bit but I ignored it and soldiered on to address the elephant in the room.
"Stop bringing out the dead and focus on the present situation you mangy squirrel! In terms of relevancy Yuri..."
As hard as it is to admit, all the hints pointed towards it. Sure, the girl has some similarities with her, but Yuri never showed any inclination toward light spells, despite everything. Besides, the Queen tends to be thorough, as sad as it is. Himeko/R doesn't share the same viewpoint though...
"Is still very much relevant to our situation, thank you very much."His plastic smile was still in place. "But I can see that you're still not willing to do anything outside of your own little set of morals for anyone other than yourself, so feel free to go away."
My eyes narrowed to slits, the nerve of that person!
"Maybe I will."
"Oh, good, that makes convincing you all the more easier."
The blonde clapped his fingers and in a rush of air, I found myself in my parents' living room, a brown envelope landing on my face with a smack. I lift it up and scan its contents, before swearing and running towards my parents' bedroom.
Hi scrub,
If you're reading this, that means you volunteered for our sanctuary project, congratulations !
Here are the coordinates! Get as many people as you can there secretly.
Don't mess it up,
Your god.
R.
PS. Ha!
PPS. Don't come back until you grow a pair!
PPPS. Oh wait. You don't know where we're going, trolololo....
There had to be a special kind of hell for that rat.
Back to the train, a very smug looking young woman put a pair of reading glasses and read some files, pushing her hair out of her face and pouting about the fact that she was in male clothing that was too big for her, while on her knees, a blonde bundle twitched before a pitiful, high pitched moan could be heard.
"Uuuuuh, somebody give me the number of that ice truck driver..."
"Aaaah, good morning Nacchan..."
"Arriving in *brzzzzzzz*"
"And that would be our stop, aren't you glad ?"
"Wait, what ?"
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Studying for exams, ill again, life sucks.
Weee, more things in motion, some more answers, Nagito gets bashed yet again, this story's still going nowhere and I still wrote double than what I should have.
back to bed for me. Or baking stuff. Whatever =w=
...
I don't know what I'm doiiiiiing ! *flips table and rolls on her bed while imitating a diseased seal's screams of agony*