Chapter Text
It was just the average first day of the semester at Hope's Peak's Academy; Ultimate and Reserve Course students filed into the main entrance as they chartered away in excitement.
One group of classmates in particular had a certain topic in the air as they entered their classroom.
"That email Principal Kirigiri sent out was so weird, like, what's his deal?" Miu asked, placing her book bag on the hook of her designated desk.
"What email?" Ryoma asked, having been in the classroom long before his classmates. Sometimes, to him, his height was a major disadvantage for the school's commute.
Some of the others looked to each other, considering if to share the contents with their clueless companion.
"We can't say, it's supposed to be confidential." Rantaro said, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck.
"Sorry, Hoshi." Shuichi added with a nervous smile.
The tennis pro simply shrugged, unbothered as their teacher strolled into the room and the others rushed to their seats.
"Good morning, class." She greeted, her tone as cheerful as it was every morning. "I have some...things to explain to you pertaining to the emails you would have gotten over your break."
"I didn't get an email." Ryoma clarified, just as Gonta entered the classroom as well.
"Sorry to be late; Gonta not receive any email either." The tall boy smiled as he took his seat.
"Oh, then you both don't have to take this to heart too much." She smiled softly.
Murmurs erupted from the remaining 14 students, previous questions still remaining unanswered with the additional exclusion of Ryoma and Gonta piquing some interest.
"Most of you will experience a...second puberty of sorts." The teacher began to explain, her cheeks tinted pink as she did. "Your hormones will change; you'll start to feel certain ways towards other people."
"That just sounds like regular puberty." Kokichi interrupted, earning nods from a few of the others.
"Guess we'll just have a repeat of that. Nothing to worry about, it seems." Rantaro shrugged.
"Some of your upperclassmen will go into further detail, but as your teacher I can't go into specifics." The woman at the front of the room added.
Then she turned around and began class like normal, her students curious about the 'specifics' that were mentioned.
Eventually, the bell rang. As usual, they quietly filed out of the classroom to their labs.
Each individual lab was on a designated block, vaguely titled to organise the talented students better. Ultimates such as Shuichi, Rantaro and Korekiyo were on the 'Research & Analysis' block. Coincidentally, there was a second Ultimate Detective sharing the area with the trio.
"Saihara, may I speak with you privately?" She spoke as she approached the group, her expression neutral as it usually was.
Shuichi nodded, quickly telling his classmates to go on without him before he followed his upperclassman to her laboratory.
"What'd you want to talk about?" He worked up the courage to ask after a few moments of silence, watching as she sat down across from him at her desk.
"The so-called 'second puberty' you and your classmates are meant to experience in the near future."
"Oh..."
"It's nothing bad," she began, "in simple terms, as Ultimates we are more likely to fall into atypical or rarer categories."
"I'm still a bit lost."
"Most people are within a group known as 'betas'. However, on rare occasions people have been observed to fall into the 'alpha' and 'omega' categories."
"What do those groups mean?"
"These groups dictate your reproductive abilities."
Meanwhile, Rantaro watched the Ultimate Anthropologist as he went around his lab observing samples dropped off by the Ultimate Archaeologist.
Every now and then, Rantaro would ask what a particular item was and Korekiyo would begin a rant about it, along with other similar items.
It was endearing, seeing the boy so clearly filled with joy as he recounted his knowledge of anything.
Just as he was about to ask another question, his phone vibrated. A message from Shuichi was shown, specifically in their class group chat that excluded any teachers.
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*Class 78-B*
Shuichi: I have more information about that second puberty thing that Ms. Nakayama had been talking about.
*Miu is online*
Miu: Well don't just say that and leave! Spill the beans Pooichi
*Rantaro and 6 others are online*
Shuichi: Everyone who got emails is suspected to be within groups whose reproductive abilities may be altered to accommodate certain feats
Rantaro: ?
Shuichi: Kirigiri had told me that people sometimes go through the same second puberty and are sorted into the groups 'alpha' and 'omega'
Kaede: So if everyone but Hoshi and Gokuhara got emails, what does that mean?
Shuichi: They won't go through it, they'll just stay as normal people. In fact, most of the general population is within that group; they're called 'betas'
Rantaro: Why'd we get emails about it then? Wouldn't most of us fall into that category too?
Shuichi: Apparently, as Ultimates, we're more likely to be in the more uncommon alpha and omega groups.
Kirumi: What exactly do these groups entail? What about us will change?
Shuichi: ...
Rantaro: ?
Kaede: You okay Shuichi?
Shuichi: Yeah, I'm just trying to figure out how to phrase this without it sounding weird
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The anthropologist looked over his companion's phone, reading the exchange.
"I know exactly what he's attempting to share." He said.
"Oh? You've been holding out on me, Kiyo. I'm offended." The adventurer joked, gesturing for the taller boy to continue.
"Those who are labelled as 'omegas' gain, or maintain, the ability to become pregnant and give birth. While 'alphas' are the ones that commonly impregnate."
"Doesn't sound so bad." Rantaro shrugged. It was a simple concept after all, right?
"Then there's the heat and rut." Korekiyo added.
"Like dogs?" Rantaro's eyes widened as he asked.
"Yes, precisely. However, at certain points during heat an alpha will have the opportunity to bind an omega to them by scent. Unfortunately, I forgot the term for it."
The adventurer's mouth hung open. Not only was it a lot of new information to process, but he also had to come to terms with the idea of being in either of those groups himself. Just the thought made him shiver.
"Why are we learning this basically right before it's supposed to happen to us?"
Kiyo shrugged in return, suggesting that Rantaro shared his newfound knowledge with the rest of the class.
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*Class 78-B*
Miu: What the fuck Amami? What kind of fucked up fantasy did you just share with us?
Rantaro: Not a fantasy, info I got from Kiyo that's apparently been shared by people from the older classes
Miu: But I don't wanna go into heat like some classless bitch! I've got dignity! This bod deserves more than just a pump and dump!
Kokichi: I mean...you're definitely already a classless bitch
Kiibo: Great, now Iruma's in a state
Kokichi: Have fun Kiiboy ;P
Miu: Wait
Miu: Does this mean some of you fuckwads are gonna be submissive and breedable?
*Ryoma is online*
Ryoma: What the fuck Iruma????
Tenko: I hope all you degenerate males end up being omegas
Rantaro: ...good afternoon?
Shuichi: Anyway, whichever of us end up being omegas have to go through their first heat before they can go on suppressants
Rantaro: Why
Shuichi: Guess it's kinda like pets where you're told to let them go through a heat before neutering them
Angie: Angie wonders how we'll find out what groups Atua graciously put us into
Kokichi: How's Kiibaby gonna be sorted
Kokichi: Y'know since he's not a person
Kiibo: I am a person!
Kiibo: I thought you'd stop with the robophobia when we started dating :(
Kokichi: Oh shit yh I said I'd do that
Kokichi: ...it's a lie?
Kiibo: ☹️
Tenko: ...?
Miu: WHAT THE FUCK KIIBS I THOUGHT COCKITCHY REJECTED YOU
Kiibo: I'M SORRY I THOUGHT EVERYONE KNEW
Kaede: Can we please get back to the original topic?
Shuichi: Fair point
Kaede: I wanna know if we get accommodations for it
Rantaro: I mean I didn't read my email but it might imply what groups we're in. Might also have accommodations as a note
*Ryoma is offline*
Kirumi: Amami, can you check to confirm?
Rantaro: Yeah of course
Kirumi: If there's no further information, please inquire our upperclassmen.
Rantaro: Will do
*Rantaro is offline*
Shuichi: I'll ask some other upperclassmen myself
Kirumi: Thank you, Saihara
*Shuichi and 7 others are offline*
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"Hey, Tanaka." Rantaro greeted as he and Korekiyo jogged up to the Ultimate Animal Breeder. "We wanted to ask you something.
"Ah, so you pathetic humans have decided to consult me, the Overlord of Ice, to beg for a place in the Tanaka Empire?" He beamed, a confident grin on his face as he folded his arms over his chest.
The other 2 students looked at each other, unused to their elder's manner of speaking.
"Perish the thought! For my empire has no use for such fragile creatures. Your only purpose would be to provide a virgin's blood to open the Gates of Hell!"
"Good to know..." Rantaro gestured for his companion to speak, hoping the taller boy's more refined speech pattern would get through to their upperclassman.
"Thank you for informing us, however we are here to inquire about any methods to preemptively know what reproductive groups one would fall into." The anthropologist explained. "We hope the..."
"Overlord of Ice; Tanaka the Forbidden One!"
"Yes. We hope you could educate us on this very important topic."
Gundham went quiet as he allowed his hamsters to crawl from his scarf to his ear, soft chittering being the only thing coming from them as their owner nodded once each was finished.
"Rejoice, for my Four Dark Devas of Destruction have advised me to indulge your request."
"Great, thank you so much!"
The eldest in the group explained that as one neared the true physiological changes, alphas would experience a significantly heightened sense of smell while omegas may become more docile or generally easygoing, along with the urge to nest.
In established relationships, if an alpha is present, there is a chance of them becoming more territorial as well.
"The scent of their mate's pheromones is the only true weakness of an alpha. However, they can also be attracted by those of an omega that is either unclaimed or unpaired."
"Oh so...alphas can have multiple mates they can claim. What about omegas though?" Rantaro questioned, typing a summary of everything they were learning to share with his classmates.
All the way on the third floor of Hope's Peak Academy, Shuichi was once again speaking to the girl he shared a title with.
"I wouldn't be surprised if you turn out to be an omega." She said simply, having run through all the information she had, including accounts from her classmates and some other students.
"Wha-" Shuichi remarked, confused. "Why would I be an omega?"
"You're already the type that tries to keep the peace; someone who prefers to stay on the sidelines and doesn't like attention." She noted, having already been familiar with his personality from before he had attended the school; something she had to thank her relation to the headmaster for.
"...Who else, in my class, do you think would be in the same group as me?" He asked after a short silence.
"Difficult to say, I haven't paid much attention to many of them. Perhaps I'll get back to you on it; if I finish the cases I have."
Shuichi nodded in thanks, bidding his upperclassman farewell before opening the group chat to see just what information he could add to Rantaro's, surprisingly, in depth synopsis of the whole thing.
It was an interesting time back on their floor of the dormitory building, as they gathered in the common room to discuss their hypotheses about each others' grouping. Even Ryoma pitched in, listing reasons based on the information kindly granted to them.
"This whole thing's got me kinda nervous." Kaito admitted at one point. "What if people end up incompatible with their partners?"
Everyone looked to Rantaro, Shuichi and Korekiyo for an answer, a trio that seemed much closer to each other than anyone else in the class.
The detective's face turned a shade of red as he looked away, Rantaro simply shrugged in response as he had no knowledge of his classmates' dating preferences.
"I would suggest polyamory, but that is only if the changes we go through would allow for a healthy dynamic." Kiyo suggested, his classmates nodding as they looked around at each other.
The class continued the conversation until the Dormitory Warden scolded them for being awake, each of the 16 giving apologies as they passed and entered their own bedrooms.
Shuichi laid awake in his bed, sitting up at the ceiling. Were his classmates as nervous as he was about the near future? Would Kiyo's suggestion truly be plausible? It was quite nauseating to think about how drastically his life and relationships would change. Maybe his uncle could give him advice.
As he grabbed his phone to message the man, his sight blurred as he yawned. He didn't realise how tired he was; perhaps his questions could wait for the morning.