Hero

RWBY: Chasing Shadows

---

---

The return of silence wasn't exactly comforting--Fiona half expected something else to jump out at them if they dropped their guard for even a second. Fiona backed away from the black smoke, double-checking her ammo. She did her best to be as efficient as possible, but she'd be lying if she said she hadn't wasted a few shots. The Grimm moved faster than she anticipated; she wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. The last thing she wanted was to end up being a burden on the team. Or worse--she'd end up being the weak point.

She was snapped out of her thoughts as a strong guest of wind blew away the smoke. Letting out a sigh of relief, she figured she should get her head back in the game. "Thank you, Kohaku," Fiona thanked her first and foremost. At least that was one less thing to worry about. Rio was eager to take point again, with his semblance revealing that there were, of course, more Grimm. She seemed to have the same thought as Saffron as the girl expressed curiosity on how big the bunker was.

"Regardless of the distance, it's best to stay on guard," She decided to remind them, taking her spot after Saffron. "This bunker seems to have been built some time ago, so there should still be a distance before reaching the depths of where the Grimm would house themselves."

After a brief pause of thought, she added, "Whatever Rio senses is likely a wandering group. Let's stay in formation as we proceed."

---

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona

---

The new student was certainly guarded. Sakuya could've been amused if she wasn't already in a bad mood, but her patience was already wearing thin. Was he testing her? She had no way of knowing what the source of the hostility could be. Perhaps he had issues with authority and Taniguchi thought she would be the best one to approach him. That sounded reasonable, but she wasn't sure, she was never good at guessing what people were like without knowing anything about them. Alternatively, he had already heard of her and decided that he wanted nothing to do with her following him around.

Would word have spread that quickly, though? He didn't seem that sociable--unless her classmates were determined to make sure everyone heard about that writing. It'd be impressive if it was put to some actual good use instead of being used for slander. Sakuya tried to see what she could get out of his expression, but aside from a very strong feeling of disdain, she was clueless. How did Natsuhime just walk up to anyone? Then again, the girl was much more charming and charismatic. Being charming and cute and nice was not one of Sakuya's strong points.

So be it.

The third year did let out a tiny sigh as she placed her hand on her hip. "Fair enough. I don't necessarily have the time to babysit anyone," She replied cooly, deciding to keep a level head as she brushed her hair off her shoulders. "I'll make sure to check up on you periodically to make sure you're adjusting properly. Hinotori is a place for learning and becoming a proper member of society, so I expect you'll do the same and not cause any trouble for anyone."

_@Asura

Fire Emblem: The Slumbering Goddess

---

The announcement felt so sudden. Everything felt like it was happening fast, too fast for Derec to properly digest. Sixty seconds to confront the fact that they were going to an actual fight?! Michail was a madman taking them along--he was convinced that they were be left behind or that they would retreat somewhere else, he never dreamed they would be the ones to play hero and save a village. Nerve-wrecking couldn't even scratch the surface to describe what was going on right now. The fact that some people took this calmly also worried Derec immensely--to him, it felt like they had no idea what was in store for them.

Looking down at his knees, he realized that he no longer felt the soothing of Isolde's magic. As he looked up, he felt a pang of guilt as the girl looked completely petrified. Well, not everyone was on board with going along, it seemed. He could probably stay behind with her, it was the least he could do to repay her kindness. But as the thought crossed his mind, Auberon gave him that look. Clearly, their house leader expected them to step up now. Out of duty, probably--the man had already shown he was exemplary in attitude, it would've honestly be a shock if he didn't want to go.

Still, one person managed to surprise Derec more than Auberon: Kellen was going. No way Derec was going to let Kellen carry the brunt of accompanying Auberon alone, that'd be too mean. He gave Isolde what he hoped was a comforting smile before he stood up, stretching himself out. Good as new, and just in time.

"Right, then. Thank you, Isolde," Derec thanked her first and foremost.

"Are you going?" She asked him nervously.

He nodded, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah. Unfortunately, this wouldn't be the first time I've gone to a town that's been raided," He said, trying not to sound too bitter. "But like the professor said, don't go unless you really think you have what it takes."

Making his way to the carriage, he noticed Lienna had stayed in place. Was she choosing to stay, too? He stopped next to her, figuring he should say something. It wasn't like they were close or anything, but leaving her like this felt weird. "Hey, um..." Anything he could've said sounded stupid, but he ended up settling on something. "Don't worry too much about those two, I'll make sure to keep them safe. Be sure to take care of yourself while we're gone, okay?"

_{@Obscene Symphony}

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona

---

Coming to a halt, there was a tiny gasp as the blonde girl fell to her knees. As she struggled to catch her breath, she looked back at her companion. Somehow, Reiji still stood strong, unphased by the numerous injuries peppering his skin. Granted, the bags under his eyes were much worse than hers, but he looked much more alert than she was. And of course, he wasn't the one currently on the ground.

He knelt down to Mineri, offering her a hand. She took it gratefully, making an effort to pull herself up, but her legs wouldn't budge. She let go of his hand, shaking her head. "I think--I think this is where you leave me," She told him. "My legs won't move anymore. I can maybe buy you a little time, but...this is it for me."

His eyes widened considerably, though he made sure to take her hand again as he stood. "We're getting out of here," He said firmly, pulling her up. "Come on, Ikeru. Lean on me."

"I can't," Her voice cracked as she shook her head. "I couldn't save anyone else, but...you can go find Emi and that boy. If you just drag me along, she's going to catch up to us."

Reiji ignored her as he heaved her up as best as he could. "And if Lilith catches you, she's going to get stronger," He muttered, forcing the girl to go along with him. "Come on, stop it with that sort of thinking. You have to fight it."

"Reiji--" Her protest died in her throat as her eye turned yellow, letting out a cry of pain as she clutched her head.

As Reiji was about to pull her up again, a haunting melody filled the halls, causing the pair to freeze. Without a moment's hesitation, the boy knelt down and scooped the girl up, breaking into a sprint. He ignored her protests as he ran, following the thin, glowing white line on the floor. The girl's vision was swimming, the pain in her eye spreading to her head. Was this how it felt like for Hanami, too? They didn't know what to do for her at the time, their spells useless. Admittedly, her guilt wasn't helping things, and she could feel her body slowly losing what little energy she had left.

They came to a halt, with Reiji buckling down and hitting the floor. Before she could question it, she noticed the tendril wrapped around his leg. "No--no--no--Reiji!" She tried to get up, her arms shaking. However, before she could do anything, her body froze as both her eyes shined yellow, causing her to clutch her head.

Reiji slammed his sword into the ground, hanging on to prevent himself from getting dragged away. "Ikeru! Ikeru, can you hear me?!" He yelled, unable to reach the writhing girl. Unfortunately, he knew it was over now--his own grip was weakening, and even if he miraculously held on, he was pretty sure the demon would catch up with them any moment now.

He looked over to his left, the mirror shining at him. He couldn't help but feel it was mocking them at this point. But he'd be damned if he was going to let Makoto's sacrifice be in vain. With his free hand, he held his palm out, a flame forming a blue card in his hand. "Masamune!" He called, a figure clad in samurai armor appearing. "Get her through the mirror!"

The Persona sheathed its blade, following its command without hesitation. As it picked up the writhing girl, the tendril wrapped itself around Reiji's chest, pulling him harder. That demon really did love to play with its prey, didn't it? He wasn't going to go down without a fight, but he made sure to keep all his focus on Masamune. As it stopped before the mirror, he could see Mineri open her eyes, looking at him. She said something he couldn't catch, but there wasn't time for clarification as Masamune dropped her through.

The white line on the floor faded as the mirror blackened, and with a flash, it disappeared. Masamune came and cut him loose, waiting as Reiji got to his feet. The mirror disappeared just like it did when Ueno was pushed through. The rules must change whenever Lilith was around. That, or she had some sort of power that prevented them from leaving. Either way, Mineri was through, and he had nothing that would slow him down. He beckoned to his Persona, and together, the pair left the way they came.

---

Clapping her hands as she walked into the classroom, the homeroom teacher of class 2-A had presented herself. A soft, kind woman, she dressed conservatively with a yellow turtleneck and a pair of slacks, her brown hair in two braids. She stopped at the side of the smartboard, turning it on and revealing a name already written in.

"Good morning and welcome, everyone," She greeted them all warmly, placing a laptop on the small podium. "I am Momoji Aya, and I'll be your homeroom teacher this morning. I'm very excited to meet each and every one of you today. Now, I know we have a new transfer student here, so we'll give him a chance to introduce himself once I take attendance. Today will be easy, but tomorrow the real work begins!"

---

The chattering in the third year classroom all but died down the second a clicking pair of heels was heard. The teacher strode in without looking at anyone, focused more on settling herself in first. Her long, wavy hair pointed in nearly every direction but she didn't seem to care. She was sharply dressed, a pair of glasses adorning her face. Once she deemed herself ready, she turned on the smartboard and took a dry erase marker in hand, writing her name down.

"I'm Suzuki Keiko. As you are all third years, I expect few issues here," She stated, leveling a look on the class. "Don't go tripping over the finish line."

---

---

The first day of class went off without a hitch. Considering a majority of the material was introductory, it was easy to let the mind wander. Once the dismissal bell rang, however, the school's mood quickly turned lively. Students were eager to catch up with one another, already changing out of their shoes and leaving. The more dedicated club members had decided to get a jump on recruitment, and an assortment of flyers already hanging on the school's bulletin board with promises of fun. Principal Wada stood near the board, his usual grouchy scowl on his face, though he returned most students' greetings cordially enough.

Sakuya herself already had a task, choosing to keep her head down for most of the day. She was still in disbelief that people actually believed that writing--if she was a self-conscious person, the constant staring might have actually bothered her. But she wasn't about to let some dumb rumor get in the way of her duties. While she had already informed both Naomi and Ueno of the meeting, she ended up enlisting the help of another student to find Kinoshita for her while she hurried to the transfer student's homeroom. An introduction and casual offer for help would be satisfactory; it wasn't like he was some helpless child. Unless he was, then that would make things more complicated.

Among the class of second years, only one stood out as unknown to her. This would make her job easier at least. Approaching the second year, Sakuya stopped next to his desk. "Are you Hoshino?" She asked him. "My name is Nakano Sakuya, I'm a third-year here. I thought it'd be a good idea to introduce myself to you just in case you had any questions or needed help with anything."

---

Midnight Sun: Last Song Over the Horizon

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A what?

Slowly blinking her eyes, Aurora was a little confused. For one, the comparison was less than flattering--cows weren't exactly cute or nice to look at. She opened her mouth to ask before the realization hit her: he was comparing her unfavorably. But why? Was he blind? No, he wasn't if he knew what a cow looked like, but why would he say that? Every hair of hers was perfectly in place, her skin was smooth, and while the uniform wasn't the best, she didn't think it was that bad. It must have been a misunderstanding of some sorts--unless he was from some backwater planet that revered cows?

Either way, the brunette wasn't amused. She tried not to show it, but it wasn't often that she was handed an insult right off the bat like this. Was there something she had done to unintentionally insult him? Considering this was the first time they were interacting, no. She supposed the best thing to do would be to take her leave, but that would be too boring, wouldn't it? The best thing to do would be to brush it off; his type probably reveled from the attention.

Pursing her lips, Aurora made a small hum as she closed her eyes. "I suppose missing real food can do that to anyone," She mused out loud, placing her hands on the table as she thought of a way to recover. "I hope you'll forgive the intrusion, I just couldn't help myself. I think it'd be nice if we got to know each other a little better."

---

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona

---

The dark haired girl let out a sigh of relief, standing from her seat at the first opportunity. If she managed to get away before any of the adults could reach her, she could probably avoid any additional lectures. If he was going to saddle her with pointless tasks and thought she wouldn't retaliate, then he had another thing coming. Truthfully, she would have liked to say more, but she had drawn enough ire as it was. Her point was now known publicly, and further aggravating Taniguchi wouldn't get her anywhere.

Taking a hold of her bag, Sakuya mapped out her escape, only to get interrupted. Naomi Oka, the vice president, had stopped her with a greeting. She wasn't overly familiar with her but considering that they'd be working together moving forward, it was nice to see she took her duties seriously. Now that she thought about it, however, she realized that she knew nothing of Naomi. The shuffle after Natsuhime's disappearance had given way to some new and old faces, as well. Today would be a good time for a meet-and-greet and to better prepare herself for the year. She'd have to squeeze in looking after the transfer student when she got her chance.

In the meantime, Sakuya would focus on getting through the day. "Good morning, Naomi," Sakuya returned the greeting. "I appreciate the initiative. We'll be meeting in the council room after school to get a jump on the new year. It's a little sudden, but I'd appreciate it if everyone could make it. I'll make sure an announcement is made so everyone can make it."

As much as she wanted to continue the conversation, however, she knew staying in one place for too long would attract the vice principal's attention. "Why don't we get going? I believe we're in the same class this year." She sincerely hoped Naomi wouldn't think she was trying to blow her off since the last thing she wanted to be was rude.

Hoping Naomi would follow her lead, Sakuya made the walk to class 3-B. It looked like their teacher had yet to arrive, albeit the rest of their class was slowly filtering in. As she turned to make an additional comment to Naomi, she was greeted by a quiet voice. To her surprise, Ueno Emiha was the one that had called out to her. They hadn't spoken since last year, understandably, but it wasn't unpleasant. At least someone was on the same page as her, though she was much closer to the rest of the group than Sakuya was.

That said, Sakuya was so focused on hearing Ueno out that it wasn't until she brought up the chatter that she noticed that the room was louder than usual. Excitement all around, all focused on the same thing: the board up at the front of the class. There was some writing decorated with what looked like a butterfly, though she wasn't entirely sure why it was causing such a fuss. Sakuya hadn't given it any notice until now, and apparently, that was a mistake. Her eyes widened as she read it, indignation gripping her for a moment.

Looking around the room, she noticed how quickly most pretended to look away, as if they weren't just talking about her. The last thing she wanted to do was to cause a scene, but she couldn't exactly just let it happen without doing something. Taking in a deep breath to calm herself down, she took her phone out as she walked over to the writing, taking the eraser in her free hand and snapping a quick picture. Another thing to add to her quickly growing to-do list. Vigorously erasing the writing, she replaced the eraser before returning to Ueno, her mood soured.

"Some writing on the board has everyone's attention," She explained to the girl. "It would seem someone thinks it's funny to accuse me of causing the disappearances as a power grab. That said, they're ill informed if they think my house is a place to look."

_{@Entityx@psych0pomp@Obscene Symphony}

Fire Emblem: The Slumbering Goddess

---

"Dear Goddess, my back."

Derec wasn't a stranger to making mistakes--he had hurt himself physically more times than he would admit in training, and he still had a scar from the time he accidentally stabbed his own foot--but Great Goddess had this taken the cake. The seats in the carriage had been so cramped that he volunteered the floor to give some reprieve to both sides, and honestly, he genuinely believed it wouldn't be so bad. He had done it once or twice as well, so he had experience. Then again, it wasn't for two hours, and it certainly wasn't in a carriage where he could feel every single bump in the road. He was also generally fond of horses, but he was pretty sure if a monster came and attacked the animals, he wouldn't be as enthusiastic in saving them.

It was only by a miracle that he hadn't fallen out of the carriage, albeit the pain shooting up his back definitely made him feel much older than he was. All those years of training were apparently nothing to one bumpy ride. He stretched out as best as he could, ignoring his protesting muscles as he forced himself to walk around a little. He managed to catch Auberon's complaint, letting out a hollow laugh. "Here, here," He mumbled an agreement, genuinely preferring a long hike to that ride.

He nearly walked into poor Isolde, watching her grimace. "I know some healing magic, maybe it can alleviate you?" The timid girl offered, clearly sympathetic.

"Please," The word came out before he would even consider her offer, all too glad to let her usher him to a nearby stump.

As Isolde tended to Derec, the professors seemed to debate on how to answer Euphemia's question. No one seemed to want to offer their opinion first--except for Tomai, who decided his time was better spent making sure the horses got to drink some water and wordlessly left it to the rest. Kaira teetered on voicing her thoughts, albeit she let out a small gasp.

"Ah--No! Come back here!" She called after Imogen.

Michail clucked his tongue, looking over to Kellen, Auberon, and Jorah as the latter went digging around in the weapons cart. "They're coming whether we like it or not, but I'm willing to bet they're looking for assistance and think we're an entire unit of knights," He finally spoke first, frowning.

"Then we should get the students as far away as possible," Euphemia suggested. "Once they're safe, we can go over and see what we can do to help."

"How much help could the four of us really be?" Kaira couldn't help but ask. "Not that I'm doubting anyone's skill, of course, but..."

"The best thing to do is take the students to Luin with us," Michail stated.

"Absolutely not," Euphemia immediately protested. "TIt may just be a bandit attack, but they have no real experience. Someone could get hurt, or worse."

"They could also get attacked while we're away. I'd rather keep them close and use whatever skills they have."

"They're not soldiers, Michail, they're children," She reminded him. "Commoners, nobles, royalty--none of them have actually seen a battle before, you're telling me you want them to experience death and bloodshed on what's supposed to be a training day? They aren't ready for this!"

At that point Tomai rejoined the trio, frowning at the growing group of students gathering. He knocked on Michail's armor, gesturing to the other trio. "Whatever we decide, they're coming whether we like it or not. I'm going to get the carriages ready," He said, gesturing for Kaira to follow him.

Michail watched Tomai for a moment before looking at his sister again. After a few seconds, she let out a heavy sigh, giving him a shrug. With a decision made, he flashed a grin. "Come on, let's go," He told Euphemia, ignoring her mumble as he took her map and rolled it up. He jogged over to the prince, the duke's son, and the crazy girl, making sure each one got a good whack of the map. "Didn't you three go over the basics this week? There's no segment on being the Welcoming Committee." He scolded all three of them, handing the map back to Euphemia.

"He's right. Get back to the others and standby while we see what they want," Euphemia ordered, making sure she stayed in front of them as Michail walked forward to meet the duo. "You can't be too careful on the road."

Michail waited patiently with his spear in hand, though as they neared, it was obvious his initial guess was right. One of the men had a few sharp cuts along his hand--he had narrowly avoided archers, he'd wager. The desperate looks on their faces turned to relief once they were close enough, with the unharmed man practically throwing himself off his horse to greet Michail.

"Thank the Goddess you're here!" He huffed, stopping to catch his breath for about two seconds before continuing. "We're in desperate need of the Knights' assistance. Our village is being plundered by bandits, they've only just started, but they were bringing barrels over in a cart to do something--"

The words no sooner left the man's mouth as a distant explosion caught everyone's ear. Smoke billowed out in a thick, gray cloud, growing in size as Michail watched.

"Th-They must have blown the cart up!" The other man gasped.

Euphemia caught Michail's expression, shaking her head at him. Still, the blond turned to the men. "I suggest you keep going to the west, Mirestone Village will likely offer some help as well while we drive the bandits out," He suggested.

The duo immediately took his advice, riding off. "Michail..." Euphemia's voice took a warning tone.

"It'll be on a voluntary basis," He said, patting her shoulder as he walked past her.

Rolling his shoulders as he approached the majority of the students, he brought his free hand up to his mouth, blowing out a loud, shrill whistle. "Listen up!" He called out, his voice practically booming. "The village nearby has requested the aid of the Knights of Seiros. As the only Knight here, I'm honor-bound to go and do whatever I can. That being said, I can see some of you already itching to jump up and tell me you're willing to fight, but I'm going to stop you right now."

He threw a small smile Euphemia's way before continuing, "Doing the right thing and doing what's best for the situation is something you're going to have to decide for yourself. Because of that, for this one time, I am giving you a choice to make," He stated. "You can stay here, away from the village and the majority of the action. That said, I can't guarantee your safety--Euphemia, Kaira, and Tomai will be joining me, and while it's only a slim chance, the bandits may decide to target you if you stay here. However, if you think that your skills are good enough to ensure your own survival, if you're willing to put your life on the line for people who are nothing to you, if you think you're ready to see a man bleed to death by your own sword, then this is the time to see if you have what it takes."

Michail turned to the other professors, pointing his spear towards the village. "We move out in sixty seconds! Get those horses ready!" He commanded. "Anyone who chooses to come along had better get their asses back in that carriage if they don't want to get left behind!"

RWBY: Chasing Shadows

---

---

Fiona couldn't really stop herself from shuddering as they continued on--the place disturbed her, to say the least. To think that something like this could even happen in such a place was nothing short of terrifying. Bandits taking over was already bewildering enough, but even seeing that there weren't any around spooked her. There wasn't any sign of anything around, and for a moment, she genuinely wasn't sure what was worse. The anticipation and jumpiness was starting to get to her, though at least she recognized that it was her own nerves. In a weird way, this was exciting, too--scary, yeah, but it was hard to explain.

Of course, the thought crossed her mind right when the Grimm actually appeared.

It was strange, she had heard a lot about them, but seeing one for the first time was a shock. She had seen plenty of pictures, sure, but it was a lot more animalistic than she thought it'd be. Still, she had been expecting one, maybe two--not [this many! She'd be lying if she said she wasn't frightened, but what got to her first was hearing Kohaku's shout. Before Fiona could question what she was doing, the Faunus girl had sprung into action.

"Wait--!" Her warning went unheeded as Kohaku went right and Saffron went left. What happened to staying in formation?! Saffron continued on the melee streak, and it looked like Kohaku's side was riddled with spikes--no, there was fire now. An attack of that magnitude may as well have rung a dinner bell letting all the Grimm know they were there. Unfortunately, there wasn't a lot of time to properly fix their formation and the best thing to do would be to adjust properly. Scoffing, Fiona pressed down on the button of her umbrella, spinning it as the metal clicked and slid into different places, bringing up its new form as a crossbow as she took a few steps backward. Saffron and Rio could take on the left with little issue, but she figured it was better to play it safe than sorry.

Taking aim, Fiona waited for the flames to show any persistent Grimm, a bolt flying into the first one that decided to have the audacity to survive Kohaku's attack. Honestly, she felt like she was going to turn into a babysitter if these two were going to turn out to be the impulsive type. Wasn't it better to take these situations from a logical perspective? Then again, the difference came off as a little too obvious: clearly, they had experience that she didn't.

---

Of Blood and Magic

---

---

"Magic, magic, magic, magic, magic--"

Honestly, this day was going so well. At least it took a turn for the better because she was swooning and skipping and dancing and happy and everything--nothing could bring her down right now. Of course, she had her new--boyfriend? No, it was too soon to put a label, right? Actually, she probably should've asked about that. But it didn't matter, Aaron was tired but okay, she could now keep an eye on him knowing he was safe, and magic classes were started again! In the back of her mind, she also knew she'd have to take that stupid etiquette class, but she was reveling in happy thoughts so she'd deal with that whenever it came.

Her phone buzzed before she reached the ballroom, and she paused to take a look. Max had taken a picture of someone wearing a collar with only one word. Oh geez, he must have one of those vampires. She couldn't help but shudder, all too glad that all she had to deal with was an uppity Ben, though she did manage to type out a quick response.

> No leash?

She definitely hoped there wasn't. Pocketing her phone, she entered the ballroom, perking up at seeing Esi. Seeing that she wasn't alone was a little surprising, though. The guy with her looked formal from head to toe. That wasn't really too strange to see around here, but he seemed super stiff. Catching his expression, she noticed how tired he looked, too, like he hadn't rested in a while. 'Wound up' was the first thing that came to mind, but he honestly looked...well, she couldn't think of the word she was looking for, but she had to admit she was a little worried about the poor guy.

It didn't help that he instantly reminded her of Aaron.

Swallowing hard, Lilie mentally berated herself--there was no need to jump to any conclusions. Instead, she threw on a smile, giving the pair an excited wave. "Good evening!" She greeted them.

---

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona

---

The morning started well all things considered. The faculty had concluded their meeting and gave themselves a small break before convening together for the opening ceremony. The vice-principal, a man by the name of Taniguchi Honda, was exasperated; it was quite the feat considering the day had yet to begin. While word had yet to get out, already he had dealt with a headache. He was all too aware that there was no consoling a grieving mother, but he didn't appreciate that private investigator. For one, he made it clear that he wasn't above harassing students for information. For another, it was yet another reminder of the incident that plagued the school's reputation. Wasn't it enough that they were still dealing with the rampant delinquency?

Fortunately, Principal Wada had tasked him with keeping the school's reputation intact. He already pulled a few strings to paint the school as optimistic for the media, but he would need to have a word with Natsuhime Haruka himself. For now, he focused on the student file in front of him, already having a plan on how to deal with that particular wrinkle. His solution arrived at the knock of the door, coming in after he gave the word. A lovely girl by the name of Nakano Sakuya let herself in, and Taniguchi had to admit she was definitely a sight for sore eyes. A diligent and obedient third year, he figured she would be a good counterbalance to the violent delinquent.

"Good morning, Vice Principal," She greeted him. "You asked to see me?"

"Yes, thank you for coming," He sighed, closing the folder. "I'm glad to see you're well. I heard you had quite the break. It's a shame to hear what happened to your father."

Sakuya frowned at him, though she shook her head. "I did, but I can promise it won't affect my duties," She told him.

"I'm glad to hear it," Taniguchi replied. "That said, I had been hoping to count on you in regards to a transfer student by the name of Hoshino Noriaki. He's a second year in Momoji-sensei's class. If it isn't too much to ask for, I'd like you to keep an eye on him."

"A transfer student?" Sakuya asked. "Well, this year the council wants to focus on repairing the school's reputation. There's also Maeda Takeshi, and--"

"And we look forward to the council taking care of that problem as well," Taniguchi cut her off. "This is just as important as I'd rather not see Hoshino fall into the wrong crowd. Think of it as killing two birds with one stone."

Sakuya looked uncertain, though she ended up nodding. "I understand," She conceded. "Was there anything else you needed, sir?"

"Now that you ask, there is," Taniguchi leveled a look on her. "I understand you were personally affected by the disappearances, but I ask that you not draw too much attention to them. It goes without saying, but the school already has enough on its plate."

Letting out a huff, Sakuya crossed her arms. "I'm not going to pretend my brother never existed, I hope you understand that," She stated cooly. "Natushime-san and Chousuke-kun were also honorable students, you can't pretend that their disappearances can just be swept under the rug."

Taniguchi wasn't entirely surprised by her insistence, but as always, the young believed their narrow viewpoints were the only things to consider. He rose from his seat and approached Sakuya, looking down at her. "And I'll remind you that you've already rocked the boat plenty as it is," He said. "We're overlooking your father's scandal and allowed you to take Natsuhime's position as president, but I'll remind you that you're already walking on thin ice."

He already anticipated a response as he placed his hand on her shoulder, gripping it tightly as a warning. She winced, instinctively moving, but he kept her in place and made sure to look directly at her as he continued, "Some of the teachers reconsidered your attendance as well--so I think that keeping your head low and listening to your elders would do you well. I know you find it hard to believe, but I'm doing you a favor, Nakano-san," He said, lightly pushing her towards the door. "Now run along, it won't due to be late."

As expected, the girl turned around and faced the door. She almost responded, but either decided it wasn't worth it or chose to heed his words. Ah, to be young. Someday she'd see that he was right. After taking a glance at the clock, he decided that he would follow suit and head to the auditorium.

---

---

The opening ceremony proceeded as it did every year. A few teachers would speak of Hinotori High School and its many accomplishments, the Principal would give a few words on the expectations every student had, and it was normally capped off with well wishes for everyone. At the very least this year it was accompanied by many boasts of the school's renovations, including a brand new auditorium that had been added. Going forward, all school assemblies would take place there; apparently, this would be the last time any ceremony or event would take place in the gym.

Even so, Nakano Sakuya couldn't quite focus on any of that. She had taken her seat wordlessly, offering a token greeting to her fellow council members before falling into silence. It was hard to admit that she wasn't a fan of the conversation she was just in, her mind buzzing. She couldn't believe what she had been asked--how dare he tell her to just ignore the disappearances? It was bad enough to accept he was gone, but she felt going by the vice principal's words were a disservice to him.

"And now, a few words from this year's student council president, Nakano Sakuya-san."

Sakuya's head snapped up at her name, getting to her feet as she threw on a polite smile. Stepping onto the platform, the dark-haired girl offered the room a bow of respect, straightening up and placing both of her hands on either side of the podium and looking straight at the students. There wasn't any time to get lost in her thoughts, though the stares of her peers encouraged her to speak.

"Good morning," Sakuya greeted the crowd, her voice sharp. "No matter where we go or what we do, there are challenges ahead of us. What I'm asking from each of you, and from myself, is to meet those challenges straight on with your head held high and your heart wide open. It's not enough to simply try to get by in life as that doesn't move the world forward. You must try to excel in everything you do; strive for excellence in every task, large or small. Your individual successes benefit society as a whole because when you succeed, you lighten the burden on your fellow man. When you succeed, you are in a position to give rather than take."

"We may not have the power to inspire the entire world to strive for success, but we do have the power to try to achieve it for ourselves. My challenge to each of you, and to myself, is to do all that you can do to reach your full potential. If each student here in Hinotori could put in just a fraction of that effort, imagine the endless possibilities that could happen."

Coming to a pause, Sakuya's fingers tapped the side of the podium as her eyes briefly flickered over to the adults on her right. Taking in a deep breath, she made a conscious decision as she continued, "Before we conclude, I would like to take a moment to address something that has also shaken the foundation of Hinotori."

While her words wouldn't have much of an effect on the students, the adults couldn't quite subdue their reactions, likely knowing what she was already going to say. It didn't stop her. "Five months ago, tragedy hit Hinotori in the form of a string of missing students and suspected arson. Four of them would have been returning for another year while the last would have graduated," Her grip on the podium tightened, though she collected herself as she kept going. "While the police have closed the case, I believe it's important to remember that regardless of what happened we don't go forgetting their contributions to the school. Natsuhime-san would always say that the future was in our hands, and I think we should keep her words in mind as we proceed through the year."

Even though she wanted to say more, she figured that much was enough. "We stand here today on the precipice of the future. It's not a distant reality anymore. It begins here. It begins today. Thank you," Sakuya finished her speech, stepping down as the students gave her polite applause. She took her seat with the rest of the student council, keeping her eyes closed and ignoring the glare that the vice principal shot her way.

"Thank you, Nakano-kun," The principal gave off a nervous laugh before turning to the students. "And with that, our ceremony is over. Please head on over to your homerooms. If you've forgotten where to go, there is a board with everyone's names next to the gym as a helpful reminder. Dismissed!"