Prologue #8

Midnight Disaster

***********************************************************************

DAYTIME

OST - Rise of the Ultimate, Beautiful Lie, Spirits and Sentiment and Splendour

BEFORE I could truly manage to turn around, however, my face was instantly bombarded by a pair of heterochromatic eyes, startling me with their intensity. As what seemed to be par the course for the teen, Nahoko had decided to make her presence clearly known, shocking me with her complete disregard for my privacy.

"Hey there!" the aquamarine-haired female beamed, "My name's Nahoko Anbi! I couldn't help but notice you avoiding me..."

If she had managed to observe that much, why did she decide to approach me?

"You're the Ultimate... Revolutionary, right?" I asked for clarification as I attempted to wrack through my memory.

"Yup!" the Anbi beamed, "I assume Shion told you about me?"

I nodded in response.

Nahoko frowned rather despondently. "Even so, that doesn't mean that you can just ignore me... That's just plain cruel," her greenish-blue boots kicked at the ground idly.

"Ah!" I began, feeling rather apologetic that I had somehow managed to hurt her feelings indirectly, "Um, sorry..."

"It's fine," the girl continued to smile cheerfully, "So, do you wanna know how I managed to become the Ultimate Revolutionary?"

As I had assumed, Nahoko did indeed seem to be rather talkative, prompting further conversation as though I wasn't in the middle of walking.

Slightly annoyed by her inconsiderateness, I decided to see just what exactly she wanted from me.

"Hey Nahoko, right?" I began hesitantly.

"Mhm?" the aquamarine-haired girl tilted her head curiously.

"Pardon me if this sounds rude..." I excused my words, "but why exactly are you talking to me?"

The female proceeded to stare at me with an unreadable expression before glancing off to the side, clasping her hands behind her back distractedly.

After much contemplation, it seemed as if she had finally decided to answer me.

"You were headed towards Seiran, right?" she inquired quietly, looking at me with concern.

Unsure about what she was getting at, I nodded silently.

Acknowledging this, she continued. "Ryu should have told you this, but there's a possibility that she might get mad at you for approaching her so cluelessly," Nahoko informed me rather seriously.

"What?" I took a step back in surprise, my eyes widening, "Why would she get mad at me?"

The Anbi looked at the ground in thought. "You remember that of the whole group, apart from Iwane, Anzai and Seiran were the only ones to disagree?"

"Yeah, I do," I recalled, "What of it?"

"Well according to Seiran, majority vote or not, she still disagreed," the teen elaborated on the purple-haired girl's beliefs, "She's been lashing out at everyone about it. It got to the point where she became so unapproachable that even Anzai agreed that it's best to leave her be... and even she complied when we decided to reveal our talents."

"Ryu did tell me something of the sort... But it's that bad?" I wondered in shock, "I would have thought that she'd be at least a bit at ease."

Nahoko shook her head in response. "Hayato thinks it's probably because she just wants to leave. Yuhara says that there's more to it than that... but even then she refuses to speak. She thinks that it's honestly best to just respect her privacy."

"I get what she means..." I agreed, holding a hand to my chin in thought.

"That's why, if you still want to talk to her... I think it's best for you to go with someone else like Shion, Yuhara or Heiji," she pulled on the strands of her hair that had been sectioned into a ponytail, "I might work also since I've been told that I'm rather charismatic as the Ultimate Revolutionary. Ultimately, the decision is up to you though, if you want to go with anybody."

Taking all that she had said into consideration, I had begun to realize that I had done a poor job in assuming that speaking to Nahoko would only serve to annoy me. The aquamarine-haired girl was rather tactical in her actions. Had she had enough time before Ritsuki and I had arrived earlier, she probably would have been able to get Shion to tell her just what he had been thinking.

In a way, her method of getting people to listen to her sort of scared me.

"I think... I'll take you up on your offer," I eventually agreed, "I'm assuming that you also want to talk to her, which is why you approached me?"

Nahoko laughed sheepishly, scratching her cheek with a finger. "You got me," she admitted, "Truth is Heiji might set her off, Shion doesn't want to accompany me and Yuhara really just wants everyone to leave Seiran be. You seemed to get along with them more, so I guessed that if you were the one who wanted to talk to her... even if you didn't want to go with me-- they probably would agree."

"I see," I listened to her answer keenly.

So I had been right to assume that she did want something from me.

"Well, there's only one thing left to do now," I made my way over to Seiran's direction, "See if she'd be willing to talk to me."

***

"You've spoken to Anbi, here, have you not?" lavender eyes glared sharply at me from behind a pair of tinted goggles as the glacial woman spoke.

"Well, yes, but--" I tried to get out.

"Then you know my situation," the voice of Seiran Tomeo rang coldly in the air, "Leave."

"But Sei, you can't just be like that..." Nahoko attempted to appeal, "Didn't we all agree--"

"You all agreed," the teenager pointed out, "I didn't. Hisakawa didn't. Even Iwane Ueda didn't. I can understand that Ueda used his talent as an example under the instruction of Shion Raniero... But Hisakawa is a fool for complying with the majority."

"I wouldn't go that far in saying that Anzai is an idiot for listening to the majority..." I responded cautiously, wary not to set her off anymore than she already had been.

"Why not?" the Tomeo scrutinized me instantly, sizing me up, "I beg you, do tell."

Rather intimidated by her hard stare, I remained silent.

Truth be told, it wasn't as if I had already spoken to the blue-tinted brunette. I didn't know her well enough to defend her... I didn't even know if I would want a complete stranger to be advocating for me.

Noticing my lack of a response, Seiran continued. "The girl states that she doesn't want anyone to know her talent-- I don't either. Then after all of you decide to reveal your own meaningless skills, she reluctantly goes along in revealing her own far more shocking and devastating one," the purple-haired woman ranted, "I can tell that she doesn't feel as happy-go-lucky as the rest of you lot. That talent actually bears weight on her. You can't tell me otherwise that she isn't a fool for deciding to put herself in such a situation."

"Even so, Seiran--" I began.

"And you," her gaze locked onto me even more if it was possible, "I've heard your introductions, and not a single one except Yuhara Mitsugi knows who you really are-- but that's a given. You're lucky I haven't heard your last name for that matter either. At least have the tact to avoid bothering others who also don't wish to reveal much about themselves."

"Come to think of it, she is right..." Nahoko realized, "The rest have been talking about it for a while now... You refuse to say your last name. What's wrong with it?"

"Look Nahoko, that's not the issue--" I tried to defend myself.

"Oh but it is, you poor nameless sap," Seiran smiled at me rather poisonously, "I'm willing to state that I am Seiran Tomeo. But who are you, Murano?"

Stunned into silence, I glanced away from her piercing gaze.

Nahoko appeared to be a bit worried now that I had fallen quiet. "You didn't need to go that far! Murano only came because he accepted my help! Putting him on the spot like that is just plain cruel!" she adamantly reprimanded the shorter woman.

"And aren't you being cruel for pulling him along as no one else wanted to come with you?"

The Ultimate Revolutionary stiffened in response. "That's--!"

"Completely correct, isn't it?" the woman pointed out as she pulled down her black baseball cap, casting a shadow over her eyes as she continued to call Nahoko out, "For that matter, I seem to recall both you and Hayato pressuring our dear friend here into revealing his talent. There may be a reason to believe that he had already identified himself as the Ultimate Bounty Hunter to the other four that came inside. However, that doesn't change the fact that you potentially put him on the spot were he not to have done so."

Nahoko didn't have anything left to say to that, and honestly, I didn't feel like defending her. Seiran did ultimately make a good point-- that had been what she had done.

She had also attempted to force me into having a conversation.

Sighing, it seemed as if Seiran eventually did decide to ease up on her retorts.

"Out of concern for Murano here, I will reveal my talent," she finally relented, glancing at my shadowed figure, "I also won't broach the topic of his name again... but I do expect that you will direct an apology to the both of us, Nahoko. Your actions have more consequences than you may think... but I'm sure as the Ultimate Revolutionary, these consequences don't happen to you often."

"...You would be right," the Anbi muttered, all of her previous cheer completely gone.

Looking up at her expression, it was as if I was staring at a whole new person.

Seiran's words must have hit close to home.

"As stated before, I am Seiran Tomeo," the female began, "and I am known as the Ultimate Sharpshooter. You will have to satisfy with that for an introduction."

"Murano Va..." I began to replicate before deciding against it, "It's nice to meet you, Seiran.

Raising an eyebrow, Seiran chose not to question my words. Instead, she turned towards the unusually solemn Nahoko, her arms folded expectantly over her chest.

"And your apology?" she prompted with a raised eyebrow, "I expect it to be directed to the both of us."

Slouching over in guilt, Nahoko rubbed her arm with her left hand as she glanced off to the side timidly in response.

"I am... sorry for what I have done," she apologized genuinely, "I wasn't aware that my actions would have such an effect on others. It's just how I've grown up."

With that, the Ultimate Revolutionary bowed at a ninety-degree angle, long strands of aquamarine hair pooling over her shoulders on both sides.

"Ah, it's fine..." I began to accept, however, Seiran quickly silenced me with a glare.

"Decent, for now," the purple-haired teen acknowledged, "Now do it again-- but on the floor this time. Prostrate yourself."

"Eh?" Nahoko stared up at the shorter girl in shock.

Deciding that I wouldn't take part in humiliating Nahoko any longer, I decided to leave the two to their own devices, making my way over towards the final student who I had yet to learn anything about.

***

Anzai Hisakawa seemed to give off a rather strange aura to her. For someone who had such a supposedly arduous talent, she dressed rather femininely, wearing colours that either seemed to be pink or teal-related. The clothes that she wore also gave off a rather formal aura of a member of the elite, similar to Sarada. She wore a long-sleeved magenta jacket over what appeared to be aquamarine-coloured robes, complete with a similarly-coloured bow tie around her neck. Beneath the robes, she wore what seemed to be black tights that were partially covered by a pair of magenta boots. A pink clip in the form of a bow was placed neatly on her head.

As I neared her, I could just barely manage to make out what appeared to be a prayer coming from her lips as she continued to mutter it under her breath, unaware of my steady approach.

It seemed that I had managed to encounter another religious one among the group, though she seemed to give exude an atmosphere of repentance rather than blind faithful worship.

Unsure of how to approach the girl, I merely stood there silently, wondering just when exactly she would come to notice my presence.

"Um--" I began hesitantly.

"Murano, right?" the brunette spoke with her eyes closed as she clasped her hands before her lap a bit more tightly than they were before, "I feel as if I've heard your name before..."

Scratching my cheek awkwardly, I responded. "Maybe you'd be able to tell if you actually looked at me...?"

Heeding my words, the Hisakawa met my gaze, revealing a set of bright teal eyes that seemed to see straight through to my soul.

"Oh, now I know!" Anzai covered her mouth in recognition as her eyes widened in shock, "I haven't met you!"

Why did she get excited then...?

Chuckling in pure confusion, I acted as if I understood her response. "I-- I see..."

Seeing my face, the brunette began to elaborate.

"I haven't met you... but there's a good chance I've met members of your family before..." she explained, holding out her palm, "Your last name... By any chance are you a Varamatsu?"

Narrowing my eyes, I took a suspicious step back. "You aren't going to pull a Yuhara on me, now are you?"

Anzai laughed in response. "Oh no, no, no, no, no!" she waved her hands in dissuasion, "It's just you look like a member of that family so I had to be sure."

"Well, you would be right," I informed her warily, "Though I'm not sure how much I trust that you've met my family before. Are you some kind of member of the police force?"

"I met them only briefly," Anzai clarified, holding a hand to her chin in thought, "My father, Nakazo, was pretty familiar with your father, Takuya, and your mother, Reizo. They came over once, and I was introduced to them."

I raised an eyebrow in response. "What's your talent?"

"As you've probably heard, my name is Anzai Hisakawa," the female introduced, "but my talent is that of the Ultimate Executioner."

"That's a pretty dark talent you've got there, Anzai..." I commented, thinking back to my confrontation with Seiran, "Seiran was right to say it sounds like a burden..."

"It is, yes," she agreed, "but you are the ones who wished to know it. Regardless, due to my talent, I'm pretty familiar with members of the police force, and your family often helped them out. That's probably why my father ended up knowing your parents as criminal investigators."

"Since you're reacting so calmly, I trust you haven't heard the news," I noted anxiously.

"I haven't," Anzai clarified, "Since we're rather reclusive, my family tends to be rather out of touch with the rest of the world."

"Well, if that's the case, that's fine," I accepted, warning her, "Just don't go running around telling everyone my name, alright?"

"Alright..." the Hisakawa agreed rather hesitantly, "If that's what pleases you... I guess I can comply..."

***

Remember to vote, comment and tell me what you think!