Chapter 1: Rescue Mission
Chapter Text
Just getting to the school was an ordeal. It was stationed on an un-terraformed moon on the outer reaches of space. You needed permissions, background checks, and multiple searches to even approach the port ship that took you to the planet. A series of airlocks, and they were let in. Three men and one woman were escorted with security accompanying them, not far behind. They were brought into a plush office and told to sit and wait.
Wait they did.
“I thought you might talk amongst yourselves,” President Asano said as he walked into the near-silent room some thirty minutes later. “And here I had hoped you would all get along…”
“Why are we here?” asked the only woman of the four. She was beautiful. Long blonde hair, blue eyes. She wore a form-fitting uniform and looked upset.
“Why are you here?” President Asano repeated back to her. “The money?”
“Of course it’s for the money,” she said, pulling a folded-up letter from her cleavage. She unfolded it, reading in a bored tone. “Your talents have been determined to be uniquely suited for a government mission. A fortune awaits if you succeed. This mission requires the deepest level of security and discretion. Report to Kunugigaoka Academy on the fourth of blah blah blah… Now, why are we here?”
President Asano took a seat, interlacing his fingers, looking serious.
“As you four are likely aware, we are a top-secret Academy for highly gifted students. Our program, the techniques the students learn, and even the material covered, are highly classified. So, even if you ask, I will not disclose that information. What you do need to know for the sake of this mission is that our students are divided into classes. Class A, B, C, D, and E. Each of those classes specializes in a category. No, I will also not be disclosing those topics. But for the sake of the mission, you should know class 3-E is our most… dangerous class. That also makes those students the most expensive.”
“Expensive?” the man on the far end spoke up. He sat cross-legged, with short hair, a bit messy. A dark trench coat. Black gloves. Deceptively innocent-looking eyes. “What does that mean exactly?”
“Why don’t we get introductions out of the way first. Afterall, you’ll be working together for the next several weeks. Gentlemen, lady… please feel free to introduce yourselves one by one with whatever alias you prefer if your real identity is classified…”
He nodded in the direction of the man who spoke up first.
“Reaper…” he said bluntly. Adding no context.
“Oh bull shit!” snapped the blonde. “You’re not the reaper no way… a lanky little guy like you!”
“Little?” Reaper frowned. “I wouldn’t say I’m little. I am of average height for a man my age…”
“You know what I mean! That name is famous. He has killed thousands! Brutally… That would take someone with muscle and and… I don’t know… not someone like you. I don’t believe it!”
“Apologies if my appearance wasn’t what you pictured,” Reaper said, smiling.
“You’re a liar…” she said, frowning. “I’d believe Dad bod over here was more likely to be the Reaper than you! But whatever, if that’s the title you want to pretend to be…”
“Dad bod?” said the man who certainly fit the criteria for the insult but didn’t seem to mind too much.
“Anyway. I am Irina Jelavić. Assassin. My kill count is forty-two.”
“And you…” Asano said, turning to the man in a suit beside her.
“Tadaomi Karasuma,” he answered. “Assassin. Kill count… I guess it’s up to about 60…”
“Ooooh 60!” Irina smiled. “That’s impressive.”
“Hey you just admitted my kill count was in the thousands…”
“No one believes you fake Reaper!”
Asano sighed. “And last but not least… you.”
“Akira Takaoka. This is a bit embarrassing with the current company, but I don’t really have a kill count. That wasn’t exactly my area of expertise. See… I’m a trainer for the military. Killing usually isn’t on the itinerary for that.”
“And she called me the liar…” Reaper mumbled under his breath before turning away from him.
“Well, now that we’re all friends… I’ll finish answering your question Mr. Reaper. Basically, it means the capital put into their education costs the most of all our students.”
“What are we supposed to do? Kill these kids?” Takaoka asked.
“Absolutely not,” Asano snapped. “They’re worth too much. The fact of the matter is, their entire class has gone missing. I expected ransoms to come in at some point, but after two days… nothing… They’re just gone. We’ve sent search parties after them. But to no avail.”
“Is it possible they ran away?” asked Karasuma seriously.
“Anything is possible with this class. But I doubt it. It is in their best interest to remain here.”
Missions that deal with children were always difficult. Karasuma had been on more than a few… some that turned out with not so happy endings for the children in question. At least this was a rescue mission… at least he hoped. “And what is that supposed to mean?”
“The children in class 3E regrettably suffer from an aliment… you see. They require shots every morning to maintain functionality for daily life. Our Academy not only makes this medicine, but we have the largest supply of it. See… without it… they’ll die within a week.”
“And they’ve already been missing for 3 days,” Reaper frowned.
“Don’t worry too much about that. It is in their kidnappers best interest to keep them alive. They are worth more alive than dead after all. In addition to them going missing. One hundred vials of their medicine was also taken. It should last them a while but… not long enough with 27 of them needing daily does. So I imagine the way to search for them would be to find places where stores of this medicine are going missing. There you’ll likely find their kidnappers.”
“You keep using the plural. You think it is more than one kidnapper?” Irina asked, twirling her hair around her finger in a bored manner.
“Let me put it this way… class is E-3 is the most dangerous as I said. Each one of those children could handle their own against any average assailant off the street and even many skilled criminals as well. I find it very unlikely that all 28 of them could be taken by a single person. And if that happens to be the case… well… that kidnapper would damn near have to be a God to achieve it.”
They all looked at each other.
“So… why are these brats so skilled?” Irina questioned.
“We’re an elite school covering multiple fields. Again, much of what we teach is classified. So I can’t go into details,” Asano said. “So let me sum up the mission before this takes all day. Class 3-E is missing. That’s 28 students in total. We need them found; we need them returned. Preferably alive, but if that proves impossible, then we want their bodies returned as well, even dead; their bodies are still worth millions.”
Asano caught Reaper’s eye for a moment and uncharacteristically flinched. Karasuma noticed as the President added, “And their families, of course. They will most certainly want to have a burial and closure and all that as well. We’re all very worried for their safety and well-being. Now… are you all on board?”
“So we have to work together?” Tadaoka asked.
“It is highly recommended that you do. I told you it would take a God to kidnap them. So, it will take an equivalent skill level to protect them. And of course bring them home. I believe the skills compiled in this room may just be enough to save them all.”
“I’m not normally the saving type,” Irina commented. “But… if they’re each worth millions as you say…”
“I will prepare a ship for you all,” Asano said. “The nearest planet to us is Atlas. Their small cargo ship would not have gotten them far, so they will have had to board a larger vessel to accommodate all 28 of them, and it is most likely they did so there. You can purchase ships on that planet as well. So, I would begin your investigation with any ships that likely went missing recently. Time is of the essence. The more time wasted the further away they’re likely to get, and it’s a big universe. I can have a ship prepared in 30 mins so you can take that time to get to know one another better.”
He opened a drawer at his desk, setting a stack of papers before them. “Pictures and only the need-to-know information on each student to help you spot them when you see them. You should take some time to memorize their faces so you can pick them out in a crowd. I will return when the arrangements are made,” Asuno left the room.
Silence.
Until…
Irina stood up walking over to the stack of papers she started flipping through them. “He said 28 children have to be retrieved but that the medicine wouldn’t last 27 of them for any decent length of time. Did anyone else catch that?”
“One of the students must not be plagued with the same ailment as the others…” Karasuma got to his feet too, taking up a small stack of the pages to flip through as well.
Reaper reached out a gloved hand, pulling a small handful of the pages towards him. “Shiota… Akabane… Teraska… Do any of the last names you’re reading sound like influential names to you?”
Irina scanned her stack. “None on mine…”
“So how are a bunch of no-name kids able to have families who can afford to send them to such an influential school…”
“Maybe they held a lottery,” Takaoka suggested. “Sometimes big schools like this take in a couple of no-names to show their good nature and up their popularity.”
“Well, I at least solved the mystery of the student who doesn’t need their medicine,” Irina said, holding one of her files up. “One of the so-called students is an AI program…”
“How do you kidnap an AI program?” Karasuma took the page from her and examined it.
“You download it, obviously…” Irina said, shrugging.
“All this feels questionable,” Karasuma frowned, shuffling through more of the pages.
“At the end of the day, the goal is to save some children. I might be a killer, but I have morals,” Reaper said, getting to his feet, smiling. “And I’m not going to stand by when innocent children are in harm's way, especially not sick children at that. I’ll be excusing myself to the restroom, let him know if Asano returns before I’m done.”
With that he left the room.
“Killer… yeah right. The man looks like he couldn’t squish a bug…”
“Don’t underestimate him Irina,” Karasuma said sternly. “No one knows the identity of the Reaper. For all we know, he very well could be the real thing, and if he is, it is best not to get on his bad side.”
“I’m with her… he doesn’t look menacing at all,” Takaoka responded. He gathered up all the pages into a single stack. “We can study these on the ship.”
“Oh, hello. I’m just excusing myself to the restroom,” Reaper said smiling at the guard he met just outside the door of Asuno’s office.
“I will escort you to—”
“I’m not a child. I don’t need to be escorted anywhere thankyou.”
He turned only to be halted once again by the armed guard. “Sir… it is the laws of this Academy. All guests must be accompanied everywhere within the Academy’s walls.”
“Hhmmm… if you insist then…”
He followed in the man’s wake, his eyes darting into every cracked door and around every corner he could see without looking obviously suspicious.
“Here it is Sir.”
“Thank you,” Reaper walked in, leaving the guard with a smile. The guard stationed himself just outside the door.
“Arrangements have been made,” Asano said, reentering his office. “Please follow me. Where did our Reaper run off to?”
“Restroom,” Irina said. “He said he would be back momentarily.”
“I’ll send someone for him,” he hit some buttons on the tablet he was carrying. “Follow me.”
He walked them down several hallways and then approached a set of double doors. When it opened, it revealed a large room. Several ships were there, and he walked them over to a medium-sized one.
“You’ll be taking this ship. Each of you has spacious quarters aboard, and all the luggage you brought with you is already in each. We have medicine aboard for the children when you find them, and a few helpers to ensure none of you have anything to worry about except finding the children. They will cook your meals, draw your baths, and see to anything else you might require.”
“Wow, if I wasn’t game before, I certainly am now!” Irina grinned, hurrying aboard.
It looked like a hotel cruise line inside. White pristine walls. A fountain at the main entrance. Several men and women were standing at each side to greet them. All of whom were dressed like servants. Maids and butlers. Except for three at the end, who were wearing lab coats.
Asuno indicated the white coats and informed them that they were the ship’s doctors. Should any of the students require medical care upon recovery.
“This all feels unnecessary,” Karasuma said, frowning at the accommodations.
Just then, a noise came from President Asuno’s tablet. “Sir! We can’t find that Reaper guy! We escorted him to the restroom, but he appears to be gone now!”
“Nonsense, I’m right here.”
They turned. Reaper was walking up, drying his hands on a towel as he walked aboard. He handed the towel to one of the maids, who rushed forward to take it.
“False alarm,” Asano said, speaking into his tablet before turning to Reaper. “You gave us a bit of a fright. People can get lost on a campus as large as ours, you see.”
“I almost did, lucky for me I have a keen sense of direction. Now… shall we take off. Or is there anything else we should know about before departing?”
“What about the actual payment. You mentioned millions, but you didn’t say how much exactly,” Irina asked.
“If you look at the back of each of the students’ files, you’ll see the price for their return,” Asano informed them. “Some have higher prices based on the amount of capital put into their education.”
One of the maids approached, whispering to Asano.
“And it looks like they’re ready to depart. I have the utmost faith in all of your skills. Please return them to us safely.”
With that, he walked down the gangplank, and the doors closed.
“Let’s all take our seats for departure!” Called one of the butlers, ushering them to sit down. They went to the bridge taking their seats and buckling themselves in for takeoff.
Karasuma who sat beside Reaper, turned to him. “You didn’t actually go to the restroom did you? What were you searching for?”
He only smiled in response as the pilot counted down. 3… 2… 1!
“How are the supplies?” Karma asked, walking up to Nagisa who was taking inventory. They had found sanctuary in an abandoned warehouse on the rundown side of Atlas.
“Not good… It’s only been three days and we’re already through half the food we brought.”
“Hear that Terasaka,” Karma called so everyone could hear. “Your fat ass is going to have to stop eating.”
“Karma I didn’t say that!” Nagisa snapped but Terasaka’s voice overtook his as he turned to Karma.
“HEY! I’m not fat, you’re all just a bunch of small fries. If anything, that means I have more muscle than you, you want to test me in a fight!?!? I’ll take—”
Itona reached up, putting a hand on his shoulder. “You can have my share. I don’t mind.”
Terasaka’s face went slightly red. “No… that’s… that’s not…”
“Stop trying to pick a fight Karma. We’re not that low on supplies yet. I’m just saying, we’ll need to steal some more food if we plan to stay here a whole week.”
Laughing at the small bit of chaos he caused, he turned back to Nagisa. “Don’t sweat it. I can steal some more food easily. But did you see his face… I think he’s got a thing for Itona.”
“What does that matter… can we focus on what’s important?”
“I told you, it’s fine. I’ll steal some more food tomorrow.”
“We can’t just keep stealing food… It’s going to draw attention and then someone will find us.”
“No one is going to find us here. I scouted this place myself. No one had been here for weeks, at least. And as soon as I track down a big enough ship we’ll be off Atlas in no time.”
“And what then Karma?” Nagisa sighed. “How are you going to keep stealing us food out in space?”
“We’ll figure that out when the time comes,” he assured him, grabbing one of the cans of food next to him he walked off towards the rest of their group with it.
"Um... Nagisa," Kaede approached him. "I can skip today's meal. I don't mind."
He smiled warmly at her. "There might come a time when we're that low on food, but that day isn't today. So just ignore Karma and eat up."
He handed her a bag of chips and some cookies.
Smiling, she grabbed the snacks, heading over to sit with everyone who were all talking at eating together happily.
Nagisa turned away from them, racking his brain. Karma’s nonchalant attitude towards these things really worried him. He might not care about the future, but Nagisa certainly did. They had 27 mouths to feed. All while being homeless and on the run. He was the one who orchestrated this whole thing after all. None of them would be here if it weren’t for him. So in the end, it was his job to make sure they all got through this safely. And he would make sure of it… or he would die trying. Or… or he would kill trying…
"Uh... Karma..." Kaede had looked up to see why Nagisa hadn't joined. He was standing near the food. His arms crossed, looking nervous. But out from the back of his neck were limbs that matched the color of his hair; the strands of his hair were flowing softly. And his eyes were glowing.
Karma turned to look in the direction she indicated.
"Shit!" He jumped up from his chair, rushing over to him.
“Calm down!” Nagisa gasped softly when he felt an arm around his shoulders and Karma’s face nuzzling into his hair, so his lips were right beside his ear. “Your limbs are showing.”
Nagisa felt his eyes burning, and he closed them. The limbs from the back of his neck retreated as quickly as they had emerged.
There was this too… At the Academy, they had all been injected with… well, they called them limbs. Long rope-like structures that resided in their bodies, which were attached to their nervous systems. Emerging at will to help them fight, but also sometimes unwillingly when emotions got out of control.
“Sorry… you’re worried. I get it,” Karma whispered from behind into his ear. “But losing control won’t help anyone, and it will get us caught. So just breathe. Calmly… slowly…”
He did as Karma said until the burning in his eyes stopped. “I’m fine now… thanks.”
“Hey! If you two are done making out over there, we’re all hungry!” Terasaka snapped. Making Nagisa’s face turn almost as red as Karma’s hair. He pulled away from Karma, keeping his face away from the rest of them.
Karma spun around, “I told you your fat ass can sit this meal out!”
He threw the nearest bit of food at Terasaka, and before Nagisa knew it, everyone had started a food fight despite his best efforts to get them to stop. Yelling, laughing, a few minor injuries, and Itona, who nearly went ballistic, when a can of vegetables had managed to hit Tereaska upside the head.
Ten minutes later, it finally ended. A lot of food was wasted. Everyone was dirty, covered in varying levels of what was supposed to be that night’s dinner. They would all need showers, and they had no access to running water…
Nagisa took a deep breath. Okay… onto this new problem. This was his life... one problem, then onto another.
“Sorry…” Sosuke said sheepishly upon seeing Nagisa’s cross expression after the war of the food was over.
“We’ll clean it up,” Kaede said.
“Karma and Teraska will clean it up…” Nagisa snapped.
“Why me!?” Teraska snapped, looking thoroughly upset. “Karma started it.”
“You both started it!” Nagisa barked back. “I’m going to go on a supply run. This place better be clean before I get back.”
“I’ll go with—” Karma began, but stopped mid-sentence at the glare Nagisa threw him. Then he climbed out of the nearby broken window.
He would need to steal some new clothes. Everyone’s clothes were dirty now, but on top of that, their Academy uniforms were too suspicious. Everyone recognized these uniforms, and it would make them easy to spot if they went out as a group. One of them could sneak around undetected pretty easily, so the fact that he had on the school uniform wasn’t too big of an issue. He knew how not to be seen. He knew how not to get caught, so it wasn’t a problem for him alone.
The question was where to get clothes, especially with no money. He would have to find oversized things to ensure the outfits fit the varying sizes of his classmates. It would always be easier to take in an outfit rather than let it out. So… maybe some coveralls would be easiest. So, going to a factory and stealing them from some workers would be easiest. And if anyone saw them, they would just assume they were workers. Child labor wasn’t illegal on Atlas. So they would be able to pass pretty easily.
Most of the class was off playing cards on the other side of the warehouse and Karma as Terasaka stayed back to clean as they were told. But the cleaning was boring so of course they got off topic.
“So, what’s with you and Nagisa. You’re constantly hangin' all over him…” Terasaka snapped as he held the dustpan for Karma to sweep a pile of food onto.
“He’s fun to tease.”
“You can’t fool me… You don’t do that to anyone else.”
“What are you talking about I make fun of everyone equally. I actually might make fun of you a bit more than everyone else,” he admitted, thinking back on it.
“I don’t mean your jokes. You know what I mean. Where you’re low-key flirting, and that you only do to Nagisa.”
“Jealous, are you?” Karma said, grinning at him devilishly.
“Of course not, I’m just saying you shouldn’t pick on people in that way when they might actually like you. Seems kinda mean if you ask me… Especially if you don’t feel that way about him, then you shouldn’t tease him like that… That’s all I’m trying to—”
“Aw, we got a bit of a softie over here. I guess you’re secretly a romantic at heart, huh…”
“What no! Just… never mind. Do what you want. It’s not like it involves me anyway…”
Karma swept the food purposely too hard so some of it hit Terasaka in the face he jumped to his feet. “HEY!”
“Do what I want huh… How about I show you that I can tease everyone. Hey Itona!”
Itona was sitting high up in the rafters looking at the night sky through a hole in the warehouse ceiling. He glanced down when his name was called.
“Wait what are you doing!?!?!”
“Come down here a second!” Karma called.
He jumped down with ease. Landing on his feet. Something no normal middle schooler would be able to do without breaking a leg.
“What?”
“Terasaka was just telling me that you’ve never kissed anyone. Is that true?”
“I never said anything like that! Itona don’t listen to him!” Terasaka snapped still wiping the food off his face.
“I was just saying the other day that that is a skill everyone should master,” he put an arm around Itona’s shoulders.
“Is it?”
“Of course…” He moved in closer letting his face get close to Itona’s hair, similar to what he had done to Nagisa a short time ago. But his eyes were watching Terasaka as he looked more and more upset with each passing second.
“If it was that important, the Academy would have taught me how…”
“Well there are some things you can’t learn in school. So here is my question. Since everyone needs to master such a skill, I figured you should practice. So, who do you want to practice with, me or Terasaka?”
Karma’s hand casually slid inside the collar of Itona’s shirt, brushing against his chest in a way that could only be described as deliberate. He leaned in closer, letting his fingers trail along the curve of Itona’s neck. His eyes flicked back to Terasaka, savoring the growing irritation on his face.
This was going too far, even for him. But he didn’t like Terasaka suggesting that he liked Nagisa like that and felt a lesson was in order.
Itona either wasn't aware of this intrusion into his personal space or it was entirely unimportant to him. His time at the Academy hadn’t exactly taught him how to recognize or protect his own boundaries. He often behaved like an object there for others to use as they saw fit, rather than a person with his own needs. It was almost naïve how easily he allowed himself to be swept along, even in moments like this, despite absolutely having the physical strength to stop him, he just didn't seem to understand that Karma's actions were something that should be stopped. Karma's hand gently tilted Itona's face upward to meet his gaze. Though Karma kept his eyes on Terasaka the entire time.
“I guess you…” Itona answered.
Karma’s surprise flashed on his face for a moment before he recovered, “Wait, really? Why?”
He let him go at that, even stepping back slightly to try to calm the look on Terasaka’s face.
Itona shrugged, “You brought up the topic. So, I assume you must know how to do it, at least to a certain level. And if the intention is to get stronger in the skill then you want to learn from the best right?”
Karma snickered at that.
“See what you did!” Terasaka snapped he grabbed Itona’s arm, pulling him gently away from Karma so they were no longer standing close. “Itona, he’s an asshole. Don’t let him pick on you. And you!”
He pointed a finger at Karma. “You know damn well he has a hard time understanding social situations so shame on you for trying to take advantage of that.”
“I don’t understand…” Itona said, frowning up at him.
“I know you don’t, just stay away from Karma!”
With that he stormed off, huffing as he went, mumbling curse words under his breath.
“Were you picking on me?” Itona asked him.
“Yeah a bit,” Karma admitted. “But hey, that’s what friends do.”
“Is it?”
“Sure… but seriously, I thought you would have picked Terasaka.”
Itona turned in his direction looking after him. Karma noticed the intense eyes that Itona usually wore softened slightly.
“Teraska was the one that saved me…" he answered softly. "So, he deserves the best. If I were to kiss him someday, I would want to be skilled at it before I do.”
“Seriously, that was your reasoning. Christ don’t you get embarrassed saying shit like that?”
“What’s that mean?”
“Embarrassed? You know… where you…” he paused not knowing how to explain it. “Never mind, forget I said anything. Go play cards with everyone else while I finish cleaning.”
Looking more than a little confused, he did as he was told.
Karma leaned against the broom, watching Itona’s retreating back. He’d never really understood how to deal with someone like Itona. It was like he was completely immune to teasing. He didn't blush, he didn't get nervous and he was almost entirely unaware of boundaries and what they were. He almost felt bad for him. Despite being incredibly strong physcially, he had no defenses mentally. He'd be an easy kid to take advantage of. But then again, he didn't really have any desire to break someone who couldn't even realize when they've been broken. It was Terasaka who was the problem. He needed to stop Terasaka from getting under his skin. After all, he and Nagisa were just friends. Just friends.
And he would repeat that as many times as it took to convince himself of it.
He approached the factory slowly, dodging between trees as he approached. A familiar beep in his pocket told him Ritsu was calling. He pulled the small tablet from his pocket. “What’s up Ritsu?”
“I calculated the sizes of our classmates. If you get 15 Larges and 15 mediums, that will provide a few extra outfits for material for anyone whose sizes don’t fit.”
“Thanks.”
“I also scanned this facility. There are no cameras or security measures in place at all. It should be easy to enter. There are no heat signatures inside telling me its inhabited either.”
“Yeah, well Atlas isn’t exactly a rich planet. What’s the quickest way in?”
“Nearby aerial satellites show me there is a missing chunk on the roof that will allow for access.”
It didn’t take much at all to scale the building and land inside. He was on the second floor where all the lockers were kept. The machinery was below. It was dead silent but judging by the number of devices on the first floor, he imagined it could get pretty loud during a workday. “Alright lets see…”
He turned his attention to the first locker, opening it up to find anything that might be useful.
*BANG*
He felt a bullet graze his shoulder. The training instilled in him immediately took over, and he dropped to the ground.
“Ritsu, I thought you said there wasn’t anyone in here.”
“It… it didn’t look like there was. I’m sorry…”
“Come out come out…”
Nagisa sighed. He knew that voice. He got slowly to his feet, staring down. The Reaper stood there. He had silvery white hair despite not being old, and he wore a black trench coat. In his hand was a gun.
“Nagisa should I call the rest of the class?” Ritsu asked sounding worried.
“No, go offline until I turn you back on.”
“But…”
“Do it.”
A small beep and her device turned off.
He headed down the stairs slowly, holding his bleeding arm.
“If you wanted my attention, you didn’t have to shoot me to get it…”
“Sorry… I wanted to check your reflexes. Shit as always it seems. You should work on that. I bet Karma would have dodged it without so much as a scratch.”
“What do you want?” he asked bluntly.
“What’s with that tone? After I helped you and those little friends of yours escape that school. Is this the thanks I get?”
“Sorry…” Nagisa took a deep breath. “How can I help you?”
“Much better,” he said, grinning. He took several steps forward, and Nagisa backed up, trying to keep distance between them, only he ended up running into one of the machines that blocked his retreat. “You act like you’re scared of me.”
“They’re expecting me back… so what can I do for you?”
“Just fulfilling my end of the deal,” he said. He reached out, letting the barrel of his gun rest against the side of Nagisa’s face, pushing aside his bangs.
“Your part in our deal is over,” Nagisa pointed out. His voice shook slightly.
This man terrified him.
“Is it? You’re only one planet over from the Academy you escaped from. Not even a half an hour ship ride and you think you’ve escaped? Word on the grapevine is that President Asano has already hired some top-tier talent to come retrieve you.”
“What who? Ngh…” Reaper took his gun, the cold metal slipping slowly down the side of his face, deliberately slow, until it rested beneath his chin.
“You’re smarter than this, Nagisa. The longer you stay on this planet, the more likely you are to end up right back there and I won’t help you all escape a second time.”
“Put the gun away…”
“You’re not the one giving the orders here," He leaned in closer, the gun a constant, chilling presence against his skin. He avoided his gaze. Feeling pathetic for doing so. Karma would have been able to look him directly in the eyes showing now fear at all. Sometimes he wished he was more like Karma.
"Don’t forget I own all of you now..."
He placed the gun at point blank range directly above his heart.
"How much do want?"
"If I wanted money I could just turn all of you in... no... we can discuss payment in a moment. For now let's discuss how we’re going to get you and your little friends off this planet. My job isn’t really done until you’re out in space after all. I have found a ship for you. Nothing fancy; it’ll likely slip under most government officials' radars as a simple cargo ship. You’ll need to board it tomorrow night around this time.”
“Fine…”
“I won’t be stocking it, though. So you’ll have to fill it with food, weapons, and whatever else you’re likely to need.”
“I got it…”
“Good…” he finally put the gun back in his jacket.
“Then all thats left to discuss is payment...”
“…” This was the part he was worried about.
“It’s actually quite simple. All I ask in return is when I tell you to help with a few jobs here and there, you do so. A simple trade. But if on any of those missions you or your other little friends betray me, I’ll ship all of you back to the Academy and take your reward money for myself.”
Sounded simple enough. But simple was usually never simple. Who knows what sort of “jobs” he had in mind.
“I understand.”
“And here… a present from me to you.”
He walked over to a duffel bag he hadn’t noticed and threw it to him. Nagisa caught it, looking confused.
“It’s got the clothes you were looking for. Along with some odds and ends around the factory that I thought might be useful to you all. I’ll send you the coordinates on the ship’s location. Be there by midnight.”
“How did you know—”
“I have my own way of keeping track of you all,” he said, turning away. “Until later then, and don’t forget to wrap up that arm.”
He walked off into the shadows and disappeared.
“Damn it…” Nagisa sighed. He reached in his pocket grabbed Ritsu’s tablet turning it on again.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine… I got what we needed… Find me a path back that avoids all signs of life.”
“On it!”
He took a seat while she calculated, removing his vest and peeling off his shirt. Blood had already begun to soak into his sleeve. It was actually deeper than he thought. But there was no excuse for slipping up as he had. Whether he had just let his guard down, or whether the shenanigan Terasaka and Karma had pulled had angered him enough to distract him it didn’t matter. There was no excuse for not being able to dodge that. He wondered if the bag Reaper had given him contained a first aid kit. After shuffling through its contents, he did find some bandages that were good enough. It was difficult, but he managed to tie it around the wound.
“I got your path,” she said.
“Great,” he pulled out a coverall that, while a bit big, it fit him well enough. It had long sleeves too. So it would hide his injury. “Let’s head back.”
He took his uniform throwing it in the incinerator at the back of the factory. It would be burned in the morning when the machines turned on.
The more he thought about it, he couldn't shake the feeling that he might have traded in their freedom for a different kind of slavery.
Chapter Text
“Where is he?” Karma frowned. He didn’t have a watch so he couldn’t check the time but it had to be getting late.
An eruption of laughter came from the corner as a final winner was determined in the makeshift tournament they had put on.
“Great job Isogai!”
“I really wasn’t banking on him to win…”
“It’s a win for the guys!” Okajima cheered.
“Hey, we didn’t even divide the tournament brackets into guys versus girls!” snapped Okano.
“Doesn’t matter, the guys still won!”
“That’s not how this works!”
“Alright, alright… let’s go sleep already. You’re all making too much of a racket,” Karma said, turning to them.
“You’re not the boss of us,” Rio said, throwing her arms behind her head.
“You’d listen if Nagisa told you to go to bed.”
“Yeah, well… that’s Nagisa… he’s the one who organized all of this. I say another round. This time we actually do boys versus girls to determine the true winners!”
“No. You’re all going to bed,” it was Nagisa’s voice coming from up above. He was sitting in the open window, looking down at them. For an entire class of highly skilled children, both in the art of killing as well as infiltration. None of them had heard him coming.
“And how long have you been up there?” Rio asked smiling.
“About five minutes. Just watching you all make fools of yourselves.”
He tossed the duffle bag down to them.
“Open them up and get out of your dirty clothes. Then we’re going to bed, because tomorrow, we’re leaving.”
“We are!” Kaede smiled.
“I got us a ship,” Nagisa told them.
“Eee!” Okuda cheered.
“I wonder if it’ll have bedrooms for all of us,” Kanzaki said, imagining the best-case scenario.
“Do you honestly think he got us a hotel cruise liner?” Rio frowned. “Be realistic. It’s going to be a wrecker…”
“Who cares!” Maehara admitted. “We’re getting off this planet and farther away from that school.”
Karma walked up the metal stairs to stand with Nagisa at the open window as they all took out an outfit from the bag.
“I told you that I would find us a ship,” Karma said, frowning.
“Yeah, well, I found one first,” Nagisa stared out the window his arms folded. He looked tired.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“You just—”
“Oh no, you get out!” Okano snapped.
“Oh c’mon,” Muramatsu frowned. “It’s cold outside. And there are mosquitoes.”
“I don’t care, you boys are not watching the girl’s undress. Leave!” Okano looked really upset.
“I agree with Muramatsu… we’ll all turn around and we won’t peep. Promise!”
“We don’t trust any of you!” a few of the girl’s snapped in unison.
Nagisa got to his feet walking over to the railing. “The girls will change in here. The guys will change outside. Go…”
“Nagisa c’mon!”
“Out,” he said as he also started walking, making his way to the door too.
“You heard the man,” Karma said. “C’mon all of you out.”
The guys groaned, grabbing a uniform as they went. Once all the guys were outside. Nagisa who was already dressed, stood at the door.
“Man this sucks,” Sugaya complained, slapping at a mosquito as he was unbuttoning his shirt.
“Calm down, we’re only out here for a few minutes,” Karma said as he pulled off his shirt. “Suck it up, be a man about it.”
Nagisa watched him. Unintentionally at first, but once he realized what he was doing, he shook his head and stared at his shoes.
Karma was his type physically. Tall, fit. The red hair wasn’t really a thing for him, but he liked the color nonetheless. And he had had a crush on him as long as he could remember. But Karma only realized he existed about a year ago, and that time was mostly spent teasing and making fun of him. He made fun of everyone, but picking on him had quickly become his beloved pastime. Nagisa never minded too much. When you’re trapped, being tortured and beaten almost daily at their Academy, everyone had to blow off steam somehow, and if making fun of him helped Karma’s nerves at all then he didn’t mind bearing the brunt of it.
“Okay… we’re done…” Kimura frowned. “Can we go back in now?”
Nagisa opened the door a crack. “Ladies are you finished?”
He heard whispering inside. But none of them responded.
It had to have been more than enough time for them to get dressed though so he opened the door slowly to find them all, dressed, but huddled in a circle.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
They looked up at him. “These outfits are disgusting…”
“I look like a boy!” Kurahashi frowned.
“It’s not even black… it’s more grey,” Hazama sighed.
Nagisa smiled. “Oh, is that all…”
“Is that all?” Rio snapped. “This is a serious offense, Nagisa! You’re purposely trying to make a group of beautiful women like us look like factory floozies!”
“Factory floozies?” Itona repeated, seemingly trying to wrap his head around what that meant.
He laughed nervously as they all seemed to surround him. “Sorry… It’s not like there were a lot of choices.”
“Besides,” Karma stepped forward, so he was standing between Nagisa and the enraged girls. “This isn’t a fashion show, ladies, we’re on the run. Or did you forget?”
“We’re just saying, our uniforms were a lot cuter than—” Kurahashi began, but was quickly cut off.
“Then put them back on and head back to school. If you think being poked and prodded like a lab rat is worth getting to wear a cute uniform, then be my guest. No one is keeping you here,” Karma pointed out. “That goes for anyone else who doesn’t want to follow the rules we set. We can’t have anyone standing out and giving us away.”
“…I didn’t say that…” Kurahasi mumbled, frowning slightly.
“Look… things will calm down eventually,” Nagisa said, trying to dispel the tension that seemed to be building. “As soon as I can get some money together, I’ll get you all better clothes, I promise.”
“Wait just a minute… the rules we set?” Terasaka spoke up. “I don’t remember putting you or Nagisa in charge of this operation.”
“Nagisa got us out of there, so he’s in charge. And I’m second in command when and if he can’t make decisions,” Karma explained bluntly.
“Yeah I don’t think that flies with me. We should be voting on things like this. I mean sure, he got us out. Great. I’m thankful… but now that we’ve escaped, we should democratically decide who’s in charge.”
“We already have a chain of command here,” Karma explained.
“Chain of command?” Itona frowned, attempting to wrap his head around that phrasing.
“Don’t overwork your two brain cells Itona,” Karma said, patting his head as if he were a small child. “It’s the chain I'll go get and beat you all with until you understand whose in command.” **
“Hey!” Terasaka moved forward, looking like he very much wanted to punch Karma.
Nagisa rushed forward to separate them.
“Both of you stop!” he snapped. “I’ve been calling the shots lately because I’m the one who stepped up to try to keep everything organized. And until we’re off this planet, I’m going to keep us in line. But we decide on things together, as a team. None of us are going to get through this without us all working together and being on the same page.”
“Tsk…”
“We’ll worry about who's in charge once we’re on the ship,” Nagisa said. “For now, everyone should go to bed. We have a long day tomorrow.”
They all slowly started moving to their respective sleeping spots around the warehouse.
“Karma.”
Karma turned back to him.
“I want a word.”
“Oh Captain, my Captain,” he teased, following him back outside.
Nagisa made sure the door clicked shut behind him, turning to face Karma with an intensity he didn’t normally show.
“You need to stop doing that,” he said, his voice low and almost pleading.
“Doing what?” Karma replied with a challenging smirk.
“You know exactly what. Saying things that get everyone riled up. You’re doing it on purpose.”
“And?” Karma replied bluntly his voice thick with arrogance.
“This whole situation is hard enough without you pushing everyone apart,” Nagisa continued. "I’m telling you to stop it. Now."
He turned to go back inside. He had only gotten the door open a crack before Karma’s limb shot forward cracking at the metal door closing it with a loud crack. Nagisa spun around as Karma walked close to him. His eyes glowing his hair swaying slightly despite their being now wind. Something about them using their limbs seemed to do that. He walked up so close Nagisa had to press himself into the door.
"Part of leading is knowing how to control those around you," Karma whispered. “So, how are you going to make me stop?”
“I’m not going to fight you, Karma," Nagisa said quietly. Everything from his limbs being out to his stance told him Kama was looking for a fight. The limbs from his neck matched the color of his hair and they moved at his side as though waiting for Nagisa to act first.
“I’d win, you know," he murmured. "But that’s not what I want. I’m trying to get you to see how serious this is.”
“I am serious.”
“No, you’re not!” Karma snapped. “If you’re going to command people, you have to be able to make them listen and not just because you’re right, but because them not doing so could cost all of us our lives. And you also have to know how to punish those who don’t listen. That’s what makes a leader, that is what makes an army.”
Nagisa took a steadying breath, trying to ignore the unsettling feeling in his chest. He couldn’t look Karma in the eye, and he knew Karma was satisfied with this show of weakness. “I’m not trying to command an army, Karma.”
The redhead’s jaw tightened, standing there looming over Nagisa like a monster over prey.
“Then what’s your plan, huh?” His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. “We’ve escaped. So, you’re telling me we’re just supposed to run forever? Hide forever?”
“That’s the plan,” Nagisa said bluntly.
“Are you out of your mind?”
“You know it as well as I do. We were going to sold off to who knows what sort of client… That or they’d experiment on us until it inevitably kills us. I don’t think Itona would have lived another week in there... We had to leave Karma.”
The Academy was training them to be Heartbreakers. Which was the codename for their job. Technically, it came down to them being bodyguards for whoever paid the most to have them. But it came with a catch. The Academy would literally link your heart to your client. Meaning if their heart ever stops, it would break yours, literally. The concept behind this is that the Academy believed no one fights to live harder than someone fighting for their own life. It ensured you would never leave your client’s side and that you would risk life and limb to ensure their safety. Most importantly, it ensured their secrets and crimes also died with their bodyguards.
It was usually rich men and women who deal in shady affairs who hired Heartbreakers to protect them. But much of the time it was also people who just wanted slaves to commit crimes for them as well so they didn’t have to get their hands dirty.
Some of them had sponsors. People who specifically paid them to be trained at the school and they returned to them as their Heartbreaker upon graduation. But most of them had no clue who they would be sold to when all is said and done.
Karma’s expression faltered for a brief moment and then he moved even closer, his body pressing into Nagisa's personal space like he needed to make his point known, not with words, but with proximity. “So that’s it then? That’s all? We just run and hide for the rest of our lives?”
Nagisa sighed. “We all deserve a chance to have a life.”
Karma didn’t respond immediately. He took a deep breath in, “...Why do I smell blood?”
Nagisa froze, his heart leapt into his throat as Karma lifted the collar of his coverall to his nose. “I know you didn’t get us the cleanest clothes, but this—this is different. You’re bleeding, aren’t you?”
He laughed, but it was obviously forced, "Maybe the ship we’re stealing tomorrow will have a washing machine..."
His gaze locked onto Nagisa’s, and he couldn’t help but avoid it. Choosing to look at the ground instead. "Cut the shit, Nagisa. Are you hurt?"
Nagisa tensed, a spark of irritation flaring in his expression. His voice was sharp, almost desperate, as he snapped, "Drop it, Karma."
But Karma’s gaze softened, the intensity in his eyes flickering with concern, though his tone remained fiercely commanding. "What happened while you were gone?"
"Nothing... just forget it…" Nagisa’s voice wavered, but his continued attempts to dismiss it only fueled Karma’s determination.
He reached out to the top button on Nagisa’s coverall. He jerked back, swatting his hand away, a flare of panic rising in his chest.
"What are you doing?" Nagisa frowned.
"If you're hurt, I need to see to it," Karma murmured. "It could get infected."
"It wasn’t bad… just forget it," Nagisa insisted. Shit… He couldn’t let Karma know the truth of how he’d gotten the injury, or how they had really escaped the school.
Karma’s limbs brushed against his fingers lightly, a touch so gentle and uncharacteristic that it made Nagisa look up. Nagisa’s heart raced, caught in the intensity of Karma’s gaze.
“Okay…” Karma’s voice softened, “I guess I’ll drop it. But if it were me, or anyone else for that matter... you’d make them get treated. Wouldn’t you?”
"Sure… if it was bad," he muttered. "But this was nothing. I just fell is all. So don’t—"
He was cut off when Karma’s limbs tightened around his wrists, pinning his arms at his side.
"Heh… tricked you," Karma chuckled darkly. "Now… let me see it."
Nagisa pulled, trying to break free, but he knew it was pointless. Karma’s limbs were far too strong—capable of cutting through steel, and slicing through metal like it was paper.
"If you keep fighting it like that," Karma pointed out coldly as he started unbuttoning his coverall, "my limbs will slice your wrist open."
"Fuck you Karma" He exhaled exasperatedly. For a second, he felt like Karma was being genuinely nice. And he felt a little betrayed that he had done it only to distract Nagisa from the fact his limbs were planning to grab hold of him.
"Maybe later," Karma teased, the playful voice making Nagisa’s stomach tighten with embarrassment. He finished unbuttoning the coverall, and the fabric fell to his waist, revealing the sleeveless tank beneath, and the bandage on Nagisa’s arm, which was soaked through with blood. He hadn’t realized it was bleeding that badly.
"Well, well…" he murmured, his fingers trailing up Nagisa’s arm with a reverence that made Nagisa’s heart skip a beat. Softly, he touched the bloodied bandage.
"You didn’t get this from falling,” Karma said upon inspecting it. “Unless you’re going to tell me you fell off a cliff, and you’d have more injuries than just this if you had.”
“Does it matter?” Nagisa asked.
“It matters to me,” he growled back.
“Look… I just… ran into some trouble. It was nothing serious; I handled it. We have bigger things to focus on. So let me go.”
The words barely registered. He reached out, his thumb pressing lightly against the injury as if to feel its depth without disturbing the bandage.
Nagisa winced at the touch, his breath catching, he instinctively tried to pull free again but felt his wrist burn from the effort. “Damn it, Karma, just let me go.”
Ignoring the plea he kept examining the injury.
"You know, this is exactly why I wanted to be with you."
“Karma, I don’t need a babysitter!”
"Well I’m making a new rule: Anyone going out to get supplies has to be accompanied by someone else."
“Ugh,” he rolled his eyes. “Whatever fine. Now let go of me.”
“This bandage has to get changed.”
“Well, you can let go of me before we change it.”
“That’s not nearly as fun,” he pointed out, smirking at his discomfort. “So tell me… are you embarrassed that you got captured so easily? Or are you upset you’re not able to get away?”
Nagisa felt his face grow red. He probably could get away if he really tried. But while Karma was fine with using his limbs on Nagisa, Nagisa didn’t want to do the same. Their limbs were not toys, they were weapons, and they should be used like the weapons they were. And he didn’t ever want to turn a weapon on Karma. It wasn’t worth the risk that he could accidentally injure him. But it seemed Karma had no such reservations. So, he did his best to just keep his wrists still so he didn’t injure himself.
“Just hurry up…”
“I’ll be honest, you look like a little plague mouse that got caught in a trap,” he joked as he ripped the sleeve off his own coverall. He threw it over his shoulder while he removed the bandage.
Nagisa clenched his teeth, looking away, trying not to show how much it hurt. The moment the bandage was removed he felt blood pour down his arm. “This really should be stitched up.”
“It doesn’t matter just tie it tight. It’ll be fine.”
“I don’t think it will…” Karma explained.
“Well it’s not like we can sew it up right now. Just hurry up.”
He wrapped it around and pulled it tight as Nagisa asked.
Nagisa winced when the pain shot up his arm.
“All done.”
Karma let his wrists go, the limbs retracting back into his neck. His eyes also stopped glowing. Nagisa quickly pulled the coverall back over his shoulders.
“I’ll find out what happened eventually,” Karma said. “I gotta admit, kinda hope it was embarrassing. You’re supposed to be one of our best fighters so if someone was able to get you… Well, you’re not really living up to the reputation.”
He smirked as he went back into the warehouse.
Nagisa stood there. Face flushed, feeling slightly humiliated. Karma was right about that at least… the fact he got injured so easily was kind of embarrassing. He just needed to keep his head in the game and focus on the tasks at hand.
He couldn’t let Karma distract him. Despite his making every effort to be distracting.
“You’re telling me none of you find any of this strange?” Karasuma asked his new colleagues the following day over breakfast that was hand-prepared by the chefs on staff.
“Yum, it’s delicious!” Irina said cheerfully.
“We’re the best of the best!” Takaoka pointed out to him. “Why wouldn’t they treat us well. We’re about to save them so much money after all.”
He frowned, turning back to his meal. The Reaper who sat beside him spoke up while balancing a fork on one finger.
“They’re buying our silence…”
They all turned to him and the maids who were standing against the wall exchanged nervous glances.
“Think about it… Through the process of reacquiring these children, we are bound to learn more than a few secrets they don’t want made public. So, their kindness as well as the reward money is their way of saying whatever you see, whatever you hear. Keep it to yourself.”
He finished his omelet and held the plate out to the maid nearest to him. “More please, madam.”
“Hell I know how to keep my mouth shut!” Takaoka exclaimed cheerfully.
“…” Karasuma folded his arms.
“Karasuma Sir, would you prefer something else?” asked one of the maids.
“No,” he answered. “I’m just not hungry.”
“Then can I have your—” the Reaper piped up, eyeing his dish.
“Here,” he said, pushing his plate over before his inquiry had finished.
He got up and left the room and Takaoka laughed. “What’s got him so upset. Its nice here. This is possibly the best job I’ve ever had. Good pay. Good food.”
“He’s too serious,” Irina said she turned to the Reaper watching him eat Karasuma’s portion. “You really want us to walk around calling you a name that’s as widely known as “the Reaper.”
“I suppose you’re right…”
“So what’s your real name then?” she asked in a tone as though she didn’t actually care about the answer.
“I’d rather not say…”
“Oh c’mon. Everyone is using their real names but you…” Irina pointed out. “That doesn’t really promote camaraderie.”
“Hhmm… I suppose so… I guess you can call me Korosensei if you wish.”
“Korosensei? Why?”
“I used to be a teacher back in the day,” he explained.
“So you’re the “Reaper” and a teacher? That makes no sense.”
“Well… I was a teacher first, and I went by my actual name back in the day. But after, I became the “Reaper.” And the reaper is known for being unkillable so… you can call me an unkillable teacher. Thus, Korosensei.”
“Uh-huh… I still don’t believe you’re the Reaper. But fine… I’ll call you by that stupid name if you insist,” she said, downing the rest of her drink.
“Why do you still believe I’m not the Reaper?” he asked, frowning.
“'Cause you don’t look threatening, and you picked the absolute least likely career for a “Reaper” to ever have had.”
“Maybe being a teacher made me the Reaper,” Korosensei said softly not looking up from his the last few bites on his plate. He was eating quickly.
She scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Seriously? How does teaching turn someone into that?”
He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he calmly dabbed the corner of his mouth with a napkin, then placed it neatly on the table. He rose from his seat and walked to her side, leaning close, too close, and though he hadn’t touched her, she felt threatened, like a knife was to her throat, even though he held no weapon. There was a sudden drop in temperature, as if the air itself recoiled from him.
Then he whispered, his voice cold and heavy with an emotion buried in the syllables that she couldn’t place, “Because maybe… my entire class of children died. And maybe I wasn’t the kind of man who could turn my back on that.”
He paused, looking at the absolute terror on her face.
“Believe me now?”
“Yes Sir!” she stammered.
“Well good,” he said cheerfully, smiling brightly, and the air returned to normal. “I’m going to go get ready. We got some missing children to find after all.”
Takaoka had been looking at a tablet before him and hadn’t looked up during their exchange. Breathing heavily, she watched Korosensei leave the room.
Breathing heavily, she felt like she had been holding her breath during that exchange. Yeah okay… she believed him now.
“It’s um… Well its definitely a ship,” Rio admitted when they stood before it. While she hadn't been expecting a luxury vessel, she also hadn't pictured one this run down...
“There isn’t going to be enough room for all of us to have a bedroom, is there…” Kurahashi sighed.
“There are a good few,” Nagisa said. He had just gotten done inspecting the ship. He wanted to check it for traps as he didn’t trust the Reaper. But seeing as it just appeared to be a normal ship he fell content with letting them enter. “But most of us will have to pair off. So everyone find someone you want to bunk with.”
Most of them started trying to find pairings. But Nagisa and Terasaka were focused on loading the ship.
Nagisa had just picked up a rather heavy crate of medicine when Karma walked up, throwing his arm around Nagisa’s shoulders. “You’re paired with me.”
“Wha… Karma you almost made me drop this!”
“Well you shouldn’t be lifting heavy things with your arm anyway,” he said, grabbing the box from him and putting it on one shoulder as though to show off how much easier it was for him.
“Fine… you load the ship. I’m going to go to town and see if I can steal a bit more food for the trip.”
“I’m coming too.”
“No, help the load the ship since you’re so much stronger than me…”
“Hey, what about our new rule… no going for supplies without—”
“I’ll take Kayano.”
He chuckled, “Anything to not go with me I guess. Fine.”
Nagisa walked over to Kayano who was talking with Kanzaki about pairing up for room assignments. “Kayano, I need to go to town. Do you mind coming with me?”
“Oh sure!” she said. “Talk to you later Kanzaki.”
She rushed over to keep up as he had already started walking to town. “What are we getting?”
“A little more food,” Nagisa pointed out. “I want to make sure we have enough to make it to the next planet we stop at.”
“Are we going anywhere in particular?”
“No, we just got to keep moving so the Academy doesn’t find us.”
“Hmmm… for how long?”
Nagisa frowned at that. Both Karma and Kayano were worried about that, it seems. And it was a fair question. But he couldn’t give her a satisfactory answer without lying. The reality of everything is that they would likely be running for the rest of their lives.
“Karma,” Okuda approached him while he was loading the ship.
“What’s up?”
“So there are a few more rooms than necessary. Could some of us have our own room?”
“Nagisa wants to keep some rooms open for travelers,” Karma explained. “He thinks we can make good money offering cheap means of travel for guests we pick up. So we need as many rooms open as possible.”
“Well… that still leaves an odd number of students. And I’d like to start working on experiments, and that requires as much room as possible. So, since someone is going to have to have a room to themselves anyway, could it be me?”
“Hhmm…” Karma mentally counted the students in his head. And it was true that someone would have to have a room to themselves. “Sure I don’t mind. Just don’t do anything that’s going to blow the ship up.”
She cheered excitedly, “Thanks, Karma!”
“This does kind of suck, though…” Kataoka spoke up, frowning. “Have you actually seen the rooms yet, Okuda? They’re really small. I wouldn’t consider any of those rooms big enough for even one person to live in comfortably. Let alone two.”
“Well, we all have to make sacrifices,” Karma said. “There are common areas, so you don’t have to spend all day in your rooms anyway. Let’s finish loading. When Nagisa and Kaede get back, we’ll need to take off immediately, so it needs to be done sooner rather than later.”
They all picked up the pace.
They moved through the city with ease. Blending in now that they wore their coveralls. This was the main port city on Atlas. It was filled with workers and beggars. And port ships refueling. They were master of the five-finger discount. Knowing how to distract the shop owners and take things they wanted was actually one of the first skills the school taught them. It wasn’t long before their bag was full of various odds and ends foods.
They kept wandering around town. Everyone you looked at had some degree of dirt on them. It certainly wasn’t the place you’d expect to see anyone dressed as fancy as the woman they watched disembark from a nearby ship. Long blonde hair. A white business uniform. Makeup and hair made her look like a model, and her breasts were practically spilling out of her top. She instantly drew stares from the men around her. Three other men walked off it with her. And while they didn’t stand out as much as she did. They all wore clean clothes and had combed hair and that was enough to draw attention on Atlas.
“She’s pretty,” Nagisa mentioned offhandedly.
“Yeah well… Anyone would be pretty with a rack that big!” she snapped, he wasn’t sure why she sounded so personally offended but he tried to have her laugh it off. “C’mon. Let’s hurry up.”
They headed the opposite direction, preparing to steal a bit more.
“What a dump,” Irina said, frowning.
“Should we divide and conquer?” Takaoka asked.
“That would likely be best,” Karasuma said. “What was that name you said you want to go by again?”
“He wants to be called Korosensei. Get it right!” Irina snapped, sounding nervous.
“What’s got you so uptight?”
“Uh… just… We should show the man formerly known as the Reaper some respect,” she said.
“Right… then Korosensei and Takaoka, you stay in town,” he ordered. “Miss. Jelavić, you and I will start on the outskirts. We’ll expand from there as soon as we determine none of the kids are here.”
They immediately headed in opposite directions.
“So… Korosensei huh… Seems like a ridiculous name if you ask me,” Takaoka pointed out.
“Well I like it.”
“So what do you recommend for finding these kids?”
“I intend to just use my eyes,” Korosensei admitted as he scanned over the crowd.
“I was thinking we could set a trap,” Takaoka pointed out. “Though, admittedly, they didn’t give us a likes and dislikes list, so it’s hard to set traps when you don’t have that intel. What do kids their age usually like?”
“Couldn’t say. Children aren’t monoliths after all, they’re all different.”
“Nah… they’re all snot-nosed punks at the end of the day. But if there is anything everyone likes it’s going to be money. Maybe we should set out a stack of fake cash and see—”
“There.” Korosensei nodded in the direction he was looking. And Takaoka saw them too. They had turned down an abandoned alleyway.
“This will be easy.”
“For kids who were supposedly kidnapped, they’re sure walking around with a lot of freedom.”
“Maybe the kidnapper let them out to get supplies. Who knows. Maybe he's here watching them, and we can't see him. Either way…” he cracked his knuckles. “Watch and learn.”
Takaoka walked up to them. Nagisa’s head turned in his direction before he had even gotten close.
“Well hello!” Takaoka said, smiling. “Nice day we’re having, isn’t it?”
“Uh, sure…” Kayano answered, looking leery.
He walked up close and threw his arms around each of them. “Don’t be afraid, keep your eyes straight ahead. Is your kindapper watching right now?”
“Our what?”
"My associates and I are here to save you kids. Where are they hiding the others?”
“Save us?” Nagisa frowned he had seen him before with that beautiful girl earlier. So these were the talented people the Reaper warned him about. “I… I think you have the wrong people.”
Nagisa removed Takaoka’s arm from his shoulder. “Sorry, I have to take my sister home. Mom and Dad will be worried if we’re any later. C’mon.”
He grabbed Kayano’s hand and started walking away with her. She immediately pretended to be apart of the ruse. “Big brother when we get home can we have steamed rice?”
“If you’re good and get your chores done in time.”
“I see…” Takaoka said. “You kid’s can’t speak freely. Did he bug you, is he listening?”
Nagisa exhaled slowly, turning to face him, eyes unreadable.
“Who is he talking about?” Kayano whispered, her brows knitting together.
“I don’t know, but take the bag.” He slipped it off his shoulder and handed it to her. His voice dropped low. “Get back to the ship. If I’m not there in five minutes… leave.”
She blinked, “But—”
“I’ve got Ritsu. She’s already connected to the ship’s network. I’ll find you at the next stop, if—”
“If?” she asked quietly.
“Just go,” he hissed.
Kayano hesitated; eyes locked on his face. He was so serious, so she nodded and leapt up to the roof of the nearest building, using a stack of crates to get up ther. She vanished from site.
Nagisa turned back. His smiled. “Wait— so you reallyare you here to save us?” He pitched his voice just right, shaky and grateful was the tone he was going for.
Takaoka tilted his head slightly, amused. “Of course. Your school hired us. Where is she off to?”
“She’s letting my friends know we’re safe,” Nagisa said smoothly. “We were terrified. I can’t thank you enough.”
Takaoka’s grin widened. “So, where’s this kidnapper?”
“Back at the hideout.” Nagisa started walking towards him, calmly. “Said he’d kill us if we tried to leave. I really hope you’re strong enough to stop him.”
“Don’t you worry,” Takaoka said, reaching out, voice syrupy with a false sweetness that Nagisa picked up on right away. “You’re safe now—”
The flash of steel cut his words short.
A knife whistled through the air, fast and deadly. It missed his throat by a breath—just enough to scare. Takaoka staggered back, eyes wide.
“What the hell—”
Nagisa was already moving. Calm. Silent. Like a snake uncoiling.
Another slash. Controlled. Not reckless, he was clearly trained.
“You talk too much,” Nagisa murmured.
Takaoka fell back on the next swing. “Hey, we’re supposed to be saving you kids…”
“We don’t need saving,” he said. Limbs grew from his neck, his eyes started glowing adding to the fear on Takaoka’s face. He looked like a literal monster. Nagisa handed the knife off to one of the limbs. They could move far faster than his hands ever good. It was time to kill him, “Goodbye.”
The kill strike was next. He was going to die. Takaoka could sense it. “No wait! Stop!”
*CLAP*
Nagisa gasped. A sharp, piercing pain lanced through his skull, so intense it sent stars bursting behind his eyes. His legs buckled slightly beneath him. His whole body tingled with numbness, as if the air itself had turned thick and drugged.
"Wha..." He exhaled.
His lungs wouldn’t cooperate. Each breath was shallow, strained. A tremor ran through him. Blinking hard, trying to force the world to stay in focus. Everything was tilting, the edges of his vision bleeding to black.
His opponent hadn’t moved. He was still collapsed on the ground, looking up at Nagisa in wide-eyed panic. This wasn’t his doing.
Nagisa blinked again. His knees buckled. He stumbled forward a step, chest heaving. He tried to will himself upright, but his thoughts were growing slow—his awareness dimming like a flickering light. He fell, caught by someone his vision was too blurred to see.
He blinked again. And again. Each time, it took longer to reopen his eyes.
Korosensei had caught Nagisa before he hit the ground. “That move isn’t really meant to be used on children. But it was the quickest way to subdue him…”
“What the hell were those things coming out of him?” Takaoka barked, his voice cracking with rage. His fists clenched at his sides, knuckles white, veins bulging in his neck. “What kind of freak is that kid?!”
“Not sure,” Korosensei said calmly. The strange blue tendrils had already receded back into Nagisa’s neck. “Anyway… best bring him back.”
As he lifted Nagisa’s limp body and turned toward the ship, he paused beside Takaoka. “Are you alright?”
Takaoka’s eyes were wild, his chest heaving. He looked down at his trembling hands, then back at the boy he’d just lost to. “That kid… he’s a monster!” he spat, each word laced with venom and disbelief.
“No,” Korosensei replied, his tone pointed. “He’s just more skilled than you.”
Takaoka flinched as if struck by the words. Korosensei walked off with the boy, leaving him on the ground, fists still shaking—not from pain, but from humiliation.
Korosensei looked down at the kid he was holding. He was small for his age. Part of that might have been contributed to malnutrition. He felt bad for him.
Well anyway... that's one down.
One of the Doctors hurried out upon seeing Korosensei and Takaoka approach.
“Put him on the stretcher,” the Doctor demanded. Three of the servants had rolled out a stretcher for the kid, and he laid Nagisa down on it.
“Fear not, he’s just unconscious,” Korosensei pointed out, reassuring them as all but the doctor and servants looked fearful and nervous.
“Wonderful, but I’ll still need to check him over,” the Dr. said. He pulled something from his pocket, handing it to one of the servants, and then he turned back to the two of them and deliberately positioned himself to block Nagisa from their view.
“I’m Shiro by the way,” the Doctor said, holding out his hand to greet each of them in turn.
“Nice to meet you, you can call me Korosensei,” he said, moving subtly to the side to see what the servants were doing. It appeared that what the Doctor had handed them was a metal collar, which they attached to Nagisa’s neck with a small beep. A nurse moved swiftly to strap the boy’s wrists with velcro bindings, as if preparing him for something far worse than just a check-up. What was going on here?
"Takaoka, please to meet you."
"Well... thank you both very much for-" Shiro had continued talking but it melted to background noise in Korosensei’s thoughts. Why the restraints? Why the collar? If there had still been any doubt in his mind about what was really going on, it was gone in this moment. There was no way they had been kidnapped. They ran away. Clearly trying to escape whatever was going on here…
"You should see to the others before the kidnapper can get them off planet,” Shiro said, encouraging them to leave.
"Wait a sec, how many of these other kids are freaks like him!?!?!" Takaoka snapped.
"Freaks, I don't know what you-" Shiro was cut off quickly.
"The things coming out of his neck. We saw them! What's going on," Takaoka snapped.
"As you were informed, they're highly elite students, and that topic is classified. You need not concern yourself. But you can be assured the other children are just the same. So be careful bringing them in. Now, I implore you not to waste any more time in fetching the rest of them. Getting them back will be significantly more difficult if they make it off planet." With that, he turned walking away. Korosensei saw him flip his collar around, speaking into a small pin located there, he had to read his lips he was speaking so softly but he said, “Student E-11 has been acquired.”
Notes:
** A joke that was said in the Firefly series. It's one of my favorite lines of theirs.
Chapter 3: Itona had always resisted beautifully.
Chapter Text
Kayano jumped from rooftop to rooftop carrying the bag Nagisa had handed to her. She had to get back quickly before—
“Hey, you! Stop right there!”
She turned. A man and a woman were running after her.
“Shit there’s more of them,” she gasped, picking up the pace.
Thinking it might be safer to weave in between the alleyways, she jumped down the next chance she got.
“Where did she go?” Irina looked around quickly after they also ran into an alleyway.
“Let’s split up,” Karasuma ordered. Silently motioning for her to go left. They crept slowly around each corner, silently searching. Pushing past a few harlots attempting to make a sale and stepping over a couple of sleeping homeless men. He caught a glimpse of her unique hair color in the corner of his eye.
“Damn it!” He hurried forward, his boots pounding against the dirt. “Irina—she’s already out of town!”
From a narrow alley, Irina burst out, breathless, stumbling slightly. “This isn’t easy, you know I’m in heels!”
He didn’t stop. Not until his eyes locked onto a four-wheeler half-covered in a tarp. Without hesitation, he ripped it free and vaulted onto the seat, yanking the wires with practiced hands.
Click. The engine roared to life.
Irina scrambled into the passenger seat, gripping the side as they shot forward a spray of gravel.
“So much for the kidnapping theory,” he muttered, eyes locked ahead on the girl. She was running through open land now. Nothing to hide behind.
“Wait—what?” Irina shouted over the roar of the engine.
“She’s running from us, Irina. If the kids had been kidnapped, why would they run?”
She seemed too distracted by the wind tearing through her hair, messing up the curls she had set that morning. “Ugh who cares!"
He didn’t heed the request. He wasn’t about to lose their target to be concerned about her hair. There was too much riding on this. Too many questions. Too many lies.
How was she so fast, she was outrunning the four-wheeler. Then he noticed what looked like ropes. Ropes that she was using to propel herself forward. She was getting further and further ahead. Damn it, their target was getting away.
Nagisa’s eyes fluttered open—then immediately squeezed shut, a ragged gasp escaping his lips.
He never had a headache worse than this one. Sharp and relentless, like it was being split apart from the inside. Every nerve screamed in protest, the same kind he felt when he missed a maintenance cycle meant to keep the pain from their limbs in check. He had taken his shot that morning but whatever that man had done to him… it caused his pain to flare. The pain never usually got this bad until you missed it for two days in a row.
He tried to move. Couldn’t.
His wrists were bound. Ankles too. Every breath sent a fresh pulse of pain ricocheting through his body.
A bitter laugh caught in his throat, but he couldn't let it out as it hurt too much. The straps dug in tighter as he shifted, and his mind flashed to Karma.
Karma.
He’d never live this down. The teasing, the smug grin. The lecture.
...that is if he ever saw Karma again.
That thought hurt more than the pain.
No… keep your mind clear. You can get out of this. He had too. If they managed to take him back to the school, he would never escape a second time.
He had just enough reach to touch his pocket. The tablet was gone. Shit… they got Ritsu’s program too. And Kayano, what if they had her too? What if she was in the next room—hurt—or worse, because of him?
The guilt came fast and heavy. He’d made this call. He could’ve asked Karma to come. He should’ve asked Karma to come. But he hadn’t. Because he was still pissed. Still clinging to the anger over the dumb shit Karma pulled yesterday. He shook, taking a painful breath in.
One step at a time… he had to escape.
“Well I’m tired,” Korosensei said.
He turned to Takaoka. “You can grab the rest can’t ya?”
“Wait what?”
“Yeah… that move takes a lot out of you. But I’ve got faith in you. You got this,” he said, waving a quick farewell before heading back onto the ship.
“Lazy ass,” he heard Takaoka mumble before he hurried off to try to help the others. Whistling slightly as he went to his room on the ship. He closed the door and produced the tablet he had pilfered from the kid they caught.
He hit the button and propped it up on his desk. Folding his arms in front of him, like a small child watching a goldfish.
The AI’s face appeared on screen.
“Who are you?”
“You can call me Korosensei.”
“…”
“And I take it you’re Ritsu.”
“I am known as Autonomously Intelligent Fixed Artillery. My friends named me Ritsu.”
“I’d like us to be friends, may I call you Ritsu as well?”
“If that is your preference.”
“Thank you.” He inclined his head slightly. “I have some questions. Would you be willing to answer them?”
Ritsu looked left and right as if she could actually see. “I do not detect the thermal signatures of my friends. Where are they?”
“They're safe,” he assured her calmly. “You're only here temporarily. I’ll return you when we're finished talking.”
She blinked up at him.
“So…” he continued, “may I ask you a few things, Ritsu?”
There was the faintest shimmer of processing—like actual thought.
“You may ask,” she said at last. “But whether I answer depends on the questions.”
“Fair enough.”
“Can you tell me about the Academy that made you. What is their purpose?”
“That’s classified.”
“Okay… next question,” he leaned back in his chair. “You and the other children. Were you kidnapped or did you run away.”
“That’s… classified.”
“Is it? Or did your friends tell you not to say?”
“I don’t want to get my friends in trouble.”
“I have no say in whether they’re in trouble or not,” he assured her. “But I’d like to help them. I can’t really do that without getting the full picture.”
“I don’t know if you can be trusted,” Ritsu stated simply.
“I see, what can I do to gain your trust?”
“I don’t know…”
“We’re getting nowhere with this, you know…”
“Agreed.”
Korosensei chuckled at that.
“If our conversation isn’t going to be productive. I should boot down to conserve battery.”
“Go ahead. Next time I boot you up all three of us will have a conversation with Nagisa,” he said. “How does that sound?”
She smiled. “Great!”
The screen went dark. He sat back, wondering just how advanced the AI really was. Would she see it as a violation if he connected her to his laptop and dug through her code and files by hand? He hesitated. Tampering without consent could cost him all the students’ trust. Even the trust of an AI might prove crucial to unraveling the truth behind this whole mess. He decided against it. Perhaps she’ll be more open to talking when Nagisa wakes up.
Kayano was sprinting toward them using her limbs to propel her forward several feet, her face pale, eyes wide. Karma spotted her—and then, just behind her, the four-wheeler that was tailing her.
“What’s going on?” he called as she stumbled up to him, gasping for air.
“We—We gotta go! Now!” she choked out, clutching his sleeve with shaking hands.
“Where is Nagisa?” Karma demanded, already scanning behind her.
“He’s—he’s fighting one of the others! He said he has Ritsu, that he’ll find us later—” Her voice cracked.
“What? That’s insane! Find us how? He doesn’t even have a ship!”
“He said—he said he’d figure it out, okay? We didn’t have time to argue—”
Karma looked back towards her pursuers as though hoping to see Nagisa somewhere amid the dust.
“He has Ritsu. She can track the ship. He said he would find us.”
“We’re not taking off without him…”
“Karma, please!” she frowned. “If they catch us—we’re done, they’ll drag us back!”
Terasaka was fumbling with his binoculars, swearing under his breath. “Look, it’s—hang on—it’s just some hot chick and a guy. We can take 'em.”
“No!” Kayano snapped. “We can’t risk it! Nagisa was very clear— he said if he’s not back in five minutes, then we split up and go!”
Karma’s hands curled into fists. “Nagisa says a lot of things just to protect people. That’s who he is. He probably only said that to get you out of danger…”
The roar of the four-wheeler was getting louder. They were running out of time.
“Karma, please,” Kayano begged, voice trembling.
“We are not leaving without him! Would you want him to leave without you?”
“…”
“You know… if they’re agents from the Academy, they might actually be pretty strong…” Terasaka said, thinking it through. “Maybe we should… we can come back for Nagisa later.”
“You heard me!” Karma snapped at him.
“What’s going on?” Itona had heard the commotion and stepped forward to see the cause.
Terasaka glanced at him, trying to play it off, but his voice lacked conviction. “Oh, Karma’s just about to get us all killed.”
The argument was heating up fast. Karma and Kayano were locked in a furious back-and-forth. Itona seemed to be quickly analyzing the situation.
He approached Karma, calm but firm, placing a hand on his shoulder. “They’ll follow in their own ship. It buys us time. We’ll make a plan to get Nagisa back.”
Karma furiously slapped Itona’s hand away. “I’m not leaving without Nagisa. End of discussion!”
In a blur, Itona’s limb slammed into Karma’s chest. The impact could be audibly heard, and Karma flew backward, crashing to the ground, gasping.
Itona stood over him, his expression blank.
He turned to Terasaka without missing a beat. “Get him on the ship.”
Then to Yoshida. “You said you could fly this thing. Was that true?”
Yoshida swallowed, eyes wide. “Y-Yeah.”
“Then take us up.”
Without another word, he walked onto the ship, taking a seat on a crate inside.
Terasaka blinked, then looked down at Karma—wheezing, furious but unable to fight back. At least at the moment…
“Alright... so I guess this is happening,” he muttered, hoisting Karma up with a grunt. “Let’s move before Karma gets his fight back!”
The hatch on the ship was closing. Irina turned to Karasuma angrily. “C’mon they’re getting away. Can’t this thing go any faster?”
It was a clichéd chase scene line. But it fit.
He slammed on the brakes.
“Jesus—what the hell?!” Irina yelped, bracing against the console.
“We’re not catching them,” he said flatly, eyes on the fleeing vessel. “But I saw some of the other kids on board. No mistake.”
Without warning, he crouched, yanked a gun from an ankle holster—odd, considering he had two on his belt—and aimed it at the ship.
He fired.
The shot vanished into the roar of the ship’s engines. Not even a bang.
Irina blinked. “That’s it? You think that’s gonna do anything to that flying tank?”
Karasuma holstered it calmly. “It’s a tracker. Magnetic. It’ll stick. We’ll catch up when they land on the next planet.”
“Oh…” Her expression shifted. “Hey—that’s actually kinda genius.”
With that, he turned the vehicle around to head back.
It took a few minutes to get to his feet. Itona’s hit had completely knocked the wind out of him. He scanned the cargo bay for Itona, who was sitting on a crate. He didn’t hesitate. His boots pounded across the metal floor. He reached out and took hold of Itona’s collar pulling him down and throwing him to the ground.
Itona rolled with the fall, came up on one knee, looking up at him. Karma didn’t give him time to stand. He rushed forward, kicking him, and he fell back. He jumped on top of him, punching him repeatedly. Itona took the punches, his head snapping to the side—but he didn’t react.
That only made Karma more upset.
“Calm down, man!” Terasaka rushed in, trying desperately to pull Karma away. But Karma wasn’t letting up — not easily. It took two more of them, straining and shouting, before they finally managed to drag him off Itona. Even then, they had to hold him back, arms locked around him, because his body still surged with fury — ready to lunge again.
Itona coughed and pushed himself up on his elbows, dazed, his face a mess. Blood trickled from his split lip, and his right eye was already darkening, a bruise becoming more visible by the second. He blinked up at Karma — confused, breathless, but not afraid.
“We didn’t leave you!” Karma snapped furiously with something deeper than anger. “We didn’t leave you — and we should have!”
The room froze.
Itona sat up fully now, crossing his legs, his chest rising and falling fast without taking his eyes off Karma. He spat blood to the floor.
“Hey, don’t say that!” Terasaka stammered, sounding slightly panicked. “Itona — he didn’t mean—”
“The hell I didn’t!” Karma snapped, eyes blazing. “Don’t tell me what I meant, Terasaka!”
The silence was heavy. No one moved. No one breathed.
Slowly, cautiously, Terasaka and the others let go of Karma. His shoulders dropped slightly, fists still clenched, his chest heaving.
Breathing heavily and looking down at him, Karma sighed, “He would never have left you…”
“It was all of us or one of us,” Itona said in the same calm voice he always had, though admittedly it was slightly breathless. “If the school hired these people, they’re not going to be weak, and it’s very likely they already captured Nagisa. We can regroup. We can make a plan now. And I saw it from the window. That man put a tracker on our ship. They’ll all show up at our next stop. We’ll get him back then.”
Karma’s eyes flared on the verge of glowing, his words snapping out like a whip. “You’re just a coward. And if it comes down to it, I’m trading you for Nagisa. Everyone knows you’re worth more than the rest of us — and I’m sure Shiro’s dying to get his little pet back.”
The cruelty in those words was intentional, yet Itona didn’t even flinch. No flicker of anger, no hint of shame. Nothing. The calm indifference made Karma’s blood boil.
Itona’s chest rose and fell in shaky, uneven breaths. Still, his voice was hollow, empty of feeling as he said, “If that’s what it takes to get Nagisa back.”
Karma blinked, irritated by how fast he folded. He hadn’t expected him to give in that easily…
God! It was maddening how Nagisa and Itona were so similar. Both of them, despite their strength, could make themselves look so heartbreakingly small and fragile. Like scared little muts, pathetic and shaking. It didn’t feel honest; it felt manipulative, even if they didn’t do it intentionally. Karma hated how easily it got to him. All he wanted was to keep beating the shit out of him until he stopped moving. But now, sitting there wide-eyed on the floor—blood trailing from his head, eye swelling, lip split. He looked like a kicked dog. Pathetic. Karma almost felt sorry for what he said… almost.
“What… what if they blow us up before we even land?” Kurahashi’s voice cracked.
Karma forced himself to take a steady breath. What’s done is done. He needed to clear his head.
“We have a head start,” he said quietly. “They won’t risk blowing us up. We’re too valuable. We’ll get there before them—and then, we’ll figure out a way.”
He moved to pass Itona, but then stopped.
“If anything happens to him,” His voice dropped to a growl. “I’m going to kill you.”
Itona’s reply was as emotionless as ever, “Okay.”
Karma’s fist clenched so hard his knuckles turned white, the impulse to strike him flaring up again. Forcing himself to ignore it, he hurried up the steps.
Itona didn’t move until Terasaka stepped in front of him, hand outstretched.
“Well… that’s one way to piss Karma off,” Terasaka said, his voice light, teasing. “Remind me never to get on your bad side.”
Itona blinked at him, unreadable for a moment, then reached up and took his hand.
Terasaka pulled him to his feet. Itona was lighter than he realized.
“Seriously, though,” Terasaka added, his tone softening as the teasing faded from his voice. “Karma was just pissed. He didn’t mean what he said.”
“Yes, he did,” Itona said, matter-of-factly.
He started to turn away, but stopped when he realized Terasaka was still holding his hand. He looked down at it, then up at Terasaka with a faint crease between his brows. “What?”
Terasaka’s expression shifted. Uncertain, like he wasn’t sure if he was allowed to touch, but he couldn't stop himself from trying. Slowly, almost awkwardly, his hand hovered at first, then it made contact. The touch was gentle, cautious, afraid even a little pressure might hurt him.
The gesture lingered longer than it needed to. His thumb trailed softly across Itona’s lip, and Itona shivered—just barely—and didn’t know why. The warmth of Terasaka’s touch felt strange. Not bad. Just… unfamiliar.
Itona didn’t understand things like this—soft touches, gentle concern—and Terasaka knew that. He knew that Itona had likely never learned what to do with kindness that didn’t ask for anything in return. Maybe Terasaka was crossing a line. Maybe he was stealing a moment that wasn’t really his to take. But in that second, with Itona staring up at him—bloodied and blinking, so still beneath his touch—he couldn’t quite make himself pull away.
His hand stayed there just a heartbeat too long, fingers brushing Itona’s cheek as if to reassure the younger boy that someone was here for him. Itona hadn’t asked for this. And he clearly didn’t understand why Terasaka’s hand was still on his face. But he didn’t pull away either…
“You can’t exactly go into battle looking like you already got your ass kicked,” Terasaka said.
Itona stared, wide-eyed. Terasaka confused him.
“Also, uh…” Terasaka cleared his throat. “You’ll want to ice that eye. So, it doesn’t, uh… swell shut or whatever…”
Itona continued to stare at him with those big eyes of his, making Terasaka feel uneasy.
“…What?” Terasaka asked, suddenly self-conscious.
“My hand,” Itona said softly, holding it up. “You’re still holding it.”
Terasaka looked down, startled to find his fingers still wrapped around Itona’s. “Right. Right, yeah—you need that.”
He let go quickly, chuckling awkwardly and rubbing the back of his neck, clearly flustered.
“Go on then,” he said, forcing a grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Before your eye turns purple or somethin’.”
But Itona didn’t move at first. He just looked at Terasaka—head tilted slightly, brow faintly drawn, like he was trying to figure something out. Like the moment hadn’t really ended for him yet. Then slowly he turned heading up the stairs.
Terasaka stood there for a second, watching him go, then glanced down at his thumb—still stained with Itona’s blood. He wiped it on his pants absently, lips pressing together in a thin line.
That’s when he realized the others were staring.
“The hell are you all lookin’ at?!” he barked, way too loudly. “Go do something useful!”
A few snorted. One or two just exchanged knowing looks as they all hurried off, scattering like mice to various places around the ship.
"You're awake..."
Shiro's familiar voice slithered into his ears.
Nagisa had been staring at the ceiling, trying to keep his mind off his pain, but his eyes landed on Shiro’s smug expression after he spoke up. He didn’t answer.
"Did you enjoy your little field trip?”
Shiro dragged a chair across the floor with a slow, deliberate screech before taking a seat next to him.
"You're bleeding..." he murmured, his gaze falling to the growing stain on Nagisa's arm. "That’s going to need stitches."
His body being on fire made him barely notice his arm. But of course, it had reopened. They must have hauled him around roughly to make it reopen. Without waiting for a response, Shiro pulled a metal tray closer. The instruments on it gleamed under the fluorescent light: scalpels, scissors, needles…
This wasn’t his first time under Shiro’s knife. Shiro had a talent for making pain feel personal—artful, almost. Every cut, every pause, was deliberate. He didn’t just hurt; he crafted suffering as though trying to rewrite you.
It was a miracle Itona wasn’t completely shattered. As Shiro was his sponsor and of all of them, he favored Itona… It took weeks to plan their breakout, and part of that was looking into the case files involving what they were doing to him. Most of it was redacted. Behind a firewall even Ritsu couldn’t hack into. But from what could be read, Shiro was testing the limits of what their limbs could do and the effects it had on the body. At the Academy, sightings of Itona were rare, but the few times he appeared, he looked broken both mentally and physically.
They mostly saw him in glimpses, whenever he was being escorted from one place to another; he was always injured and bleeding from somewhere, and Shiro rarely left his side, watching with almost tender satisfaction. He seemed to love the damage, sometimes reaching out to pet Itona’s head like an animal he was proud of, or hitting him for doing something that angered him. The few times Nagisa had witnessed Shiro strike him, Itona didn’t flinch or cry out. He just stood there, hollow-eyed, like he’d forgotten how to want anything else.
There was even a moment when they seriously considered leaving him behind. Out of all of them, Itona was the most heavily guarded, constantly watched. And to be perfectly honest, no one knew him deeply enough to see past that risk.
But it was Terasaka who shut that down immediately.
“We all get out—or none of us do. That’s how this works. I don’t care how risky it is or how many guards they’ve put on him. You saw what they did to that kid—beating him senseless, and who knows what else. And after all that, he’s still standing. Still fighting. So don’t tell me he’s not worth the effort. He deserves a chance. Just like the rest of us. Maybe even more.”
Terasaka wasn’t known for stirring speeches—but in that moment, his conviction hit all of them like a ton of bricks.
"Let me help you with that," Shiro said, ripping him back out of his memory. "Can’t have you getting infected, now can we?"
The tone was just mock concern. Shiro took the scissors, their cold jaws snapping open. With one swift motion, he sliced through the sleeve, exposing the wound Karma had tried to bind just the day before.
The fabric peeled away like skin.
"Let’s see what we’re working with..." he whispered. “A bit deep. What on earth did you get into?”
He wasn’t going to answer him… he wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction.
“Let’s get that nasty wound taken care of.”
He closed his eyes, bracing himself, retreating inward, trying to carve out a corner of his mind where he could hide. If it were just stitching, it might not be so bad. But every inch of flesh was still screaming, and Shiro hadn’t even started yet. So this was going to hurt even more.
He just had to get past this part, and maybe he could convince Shiro to give him the medicine that would calm the pain. It wasn’t like he didn’t know how badly he was hurting. He had done the modifications to give all of them their limbs after all. So, he knew the side effects.
“Painful, isn’t it?” Shiro’s voice was cruelly amused as the needle pierced flesh, sewing the wound closed. “If only we had something to ease that…”
He watched the boy convulse violently, teeth clenched tight, muscles straining hopelessly against the restraints. But Shiro held himself back—too much, too fast would break the delicate game. Like he did with Itona.
The kids had only been free a few days, and Shiro was already aching to have Itona back on his table. That boy was a masterpiece of defiance—resistance personified. For years, Shiro had chased the sound of Itona breaking: the screams, the sobs, the desperate breaths. And when silence finally came, when the boy no longer made a sound, it was almost… disappointing.
And then he grew to miss it. Day after day of near silence from his plaything. He quickly found he wanted the raw, ragged cries back. The days when Itona would claw at his own flesh, until they had no choice but to bind him tight to keep him from tearing himself apart.
He had shattered Itona’s will, snuffed out his screams until only silence remained. Shiro remembered the day like it was yesterday. It was the day he tested a new injection—crafted to drag every nerve into raw, unbearable torment—but all Itona gave him was a broken, breathless shudder. That was the moment he knew he had broken his favorite toy. Itona had always resisted beautifully. A defiant creature, fighting and snarling with wide, furious eyes. Shiro had come to crave his struggle.
But suddenly those eyes only flickered, twitching like they didn’t know what emotion they were supposed to wear. There was no hatred in them now. No rage. Just confusion... He wasn’t as much fun anymore…
But there was hope. All broken things could be repaired. It just took time. Effort. He was up for the challenge. Because Itona’s screams, the pleas hadn’t vanished. They were in there… somewhere… Somewhere inside his body, the boy was still screaming. Trapped behind the silence. Trapped behind the submission.
And Shiro would find a way to unearth them again. Rip out whatever pieces still attempt to feel. Force the screams back to the surface like bile.
“Tell me,” Shiro breathed, his voice low and deliberate as his hands moved with painstaking care, each stitch made Nagisa pull futily against his restraints. “How is Itona?”
When Nagisa opened his eyes, they burned—not with fire, but with a glare that felt like a warning. A fury that didn’t scream, didn’t fight, only waited. It was the kind of anger that didn’t waste itself thrashing against chains. It waited patiently for the moment they’d rust regardless of how long it would take.
“I feel like you’re mad at me,” he teased, easing his needle in slowly.
He said nothing. That was the difference between him and Itona.
Nagisa didn’t fight, he didn’t put on a show, he didn’t play the game. Not really. Not like Itona had. There was no art left in his defiance, no beauty in his resistance. No thrill, no theatrics. Just a quiet, patient stillness. Coiled like a snake biding its time.
Itona had raged, clawed, cried, and tore at every restraint until he bled frustration. You could feel his desperation in the way he moved, wild and graceless. Even when his limbs failed him, even when his body was little more than dead weight, his eyes still screamed, still pleaded. There had been something tragically human in it.
If only Nagisa played the same game. At least he was still entertaining. Most of the rest of the students would just pass out before any fun could be had.
Nagisa glared at him, something flashing in his gaze as his body shook from the pain. For a very brief moment, he found himself hesitating—not with fear, but something close. A thin, crawling awareness. So that was how he was playing… Nagisa didn’t need to win. He just needed you to think you had. But that’s not how you play… not how you play at all.
“Oh well,” Shiro said softly, smiling as he pulled the thread taut. “I’m sure I’ll see him soon enough.”
LStar on Chapter 1 Sat 06 Sep 2025 03:27AM UTC
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The_Dawn_Knight on Chapter 1 Sat 06 Sep 2025 09:42PM UTC
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LStar on Chapter 2 Sat 06 Sep 2025 11:48PM UTC
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The_Dawn_Knight on Chapter 2 Sun 07 Sep 2025 07:21PM UTC
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ThatLavenderGirl on Chapter 2 Sun 07 Sep 2025 01:58AM UTC
Last Edited Sun 07 Sep 2025 05:40PM UTC
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The_Dawn_Knight on Chapter 2 Sun 07 Sep 2025 07:17PM UTC
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LStar on Chapter 3 Tue 09 Sep 2025 05:01AM UTC
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The_Dawn_Knight on Chapter 3 Tue 09 Sep 2025 04:53PM UTC
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