Chapter Text
A girl woke up with a pounding headache, in a locker she didn’t recognize, in a school building she did, in all the wrong ways.
It’s the start of some story, maybe. Of someone trying to keep their favorite people alive, of carefully planning out foreknowledge to save who they can, of trying to act and deceive people dozens of times more competent than them at such things.
But this isn’t her story. Because that girl didn’t last very long. No, in fact, she realized very quickly that she was not supposed to be here. There were no plans for her in this script, and it would be oh so trivially easy to have her removed. With memory altering and erasing as part of the villain’s equipment, she rated her chances at less than zero. No, she would not last, and she could not do anything at all in the time she’d make it. Which left her with only one option, really.
She just had to become someone who could. Someone with a place and a part, someone who could put things together and keep as many people alive as possible, she hoped. Someone who would fit right into the place she was in. Even if it meant working with the villains to do such a thing in the first place- division in the enemy ranks was such a useful tool, wasn’t it? When they wanted to lose for their Despair… then it was hopefully, not hard to set them on a path to do so by their own hand.
Who did she become, you ask? Well, that’s a rather silly question, isn’t it? I thought it’d be obvious.
She became you.
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You wake up with a throbbing headache. The air is wrong, there’s hard, cold metal on your back instead of a mattress, and you definitely didn’t fall asleep standing up.
…At least, you’re pretty sure you didn’t do that again. God, if you did, your sister will never let you live it down.
…You can’t remember her name. No, their names, you have two older sisters. Right?
Memories potentially compromised. Because of the headache? Unlikely.
More urgently, you need to figure out where you are and why. When you open your eyes, it barely gets any brighter, the only illumination coming from small slits.
Locker, you identify easily, and your hands quickly slide along the metal, lightly testing for a weak point-
The door swings open.
Unlocked? Whoever brought me here didn’t intend to keep me there.
You register the room you’re in before you even finish stepping out of the locker.
‘Abandoned’ classroom. Unlikely to be actually abandoned, considering the electricity is running. Purpose of the plant growth? Unclear.
You let your lips twitch upwards. It’d been a while since you came across a mystery you couldn’t solve on the spot.
Oh good, that’s intact.
You wince at the odd jolt of pain in your head. You likely hit it at some point while you were out. Unfortunate… but not entirely relevant, at the moment.
Another locker opens and you’ve already turned to face it before the person in it finishes emerging.
Pretty, is the first thought that registers in your mind. Dangerous, is the second, as you take into account the body language and how silent her movements are.
Aaaand my- or our I guess- priorities are as in order as ever, I see.
You feel vaguely ashamed of the order of your thoughts, for a moment, but easily shake it off as you keep observing.
Seifuku, nothing particularly special. Long hair, almost impractically so, but she doesn’t seem to care. You feel almost jealous for a moment, your own long red hair was a constant annoyance if you weren’t thinking about it. Great for keeping you from getting lost in your head and making you feel attractive, but not for much else.
…had you always kept your hair long?
… Memories definitely compromised, you conclude reluctantly, and quickly refocus on the girl because you can unpack all that later.
Hairpin, stud earrings… muscle. Your eyes can’t help but catch on her limbs, which heavily imply some sort of physical occupation- or at least a gym habit. Slender, not obvious if you aren’t looking for them, but definitely there.
You open your mouth to talk as she exits the locker entirely. “Hey there.” You say casually. “You have any idea what’s going on here?”
Her eyes narrow at you suspiciously for a moment before relaxing slightly. Good, you’d spent hours with your sisters, learning how to look the most and least threatening you could.
…which was which? Or were they both-
Thoughts for later, when you were alone.
Alone? That’s a laugh.
“No, nothing.” She says after a moment, telling the truth as far as you can tell. “I assume you don’t either?”
You shrug, making sure to look as helplessly confused as you can. It’s depressingly easy when you actually don’t know anything. You’re not used to that. “Best I’ve got is that I was kidnapped… and presumably you were too if you don’t know either. Doesn’t really explain the how, why, where… any of the important questions.” You let out a sigh-
“Rise and Shine, Ursine!”
The next two minutes feel like some sort of surreal daydream- or maybe nightmare. The damn bears are annoying enough to qualify it.
Whoever designed them should be gunned down in the street, but maybe that’s just me.
It certainly doesn’t help your headache, at least. You know you should be dissecting every word they say for any sort of hint- but you really cannot be bothered. So you just note the important information. This ‘school’ was made for seventeen Ultimates, for… something, and the bears had something to do with your missing memories. Or rather, whoever was controlling them. Or made them, if they really were AI. And they were waiting to begin the something until you’d all met each other.
So you know, could always be worse. You could just be dead already.
Better keep that optimism, you’ll need it.
You feel an odd sense of pride for a moment, before it’s gone as fast as it came. You’re having a very strange day today.
“Soo… you’re an Ultimate?” You say, turning on maximum charm mode. Your… middle sister, yes, had taught you that one. Looking innocent and vulnerable and as adorable as you can manage. “I’ve never met another one before! What’s your name? What’s your Talent?”
“You first.” Is the only response she gives, and you let your face dissolve into the most kicked-puppy expression you can. Fortunately, she’s not immune. “Oh, for- Harukawa Maki.” She says with a sigh, rolling her eyes. “Ultimate Child Caregiver.”
You fight to keep your eyes from narrowing, because that’s a lie.
…Well, today is only going to get more interesting, isn’t it?