Inezo: Yo Seigan… you alright? I saw you scratching your head a lot during the exam, looked like you were struggling over there.
Seigan: I was! That exam was so unnecessarily complicated, none of that made any sense! Wait…Inezo, how'd you even see me? You slept most of the exam, did you even finish yours?
Inezo: Yeah I finished. I looked at you the few times I woke up, actually, the whole class was looking. You were the last one done in the entire class. The test wasn't that hard, you're just terrible at math. Make sure you study before the end of term exams, unless you wanna be flipping burgers for the rest of your life.
Seigan: First of all, don't insult burger flippers, they're the backbone of our society, and second of all, it's not even the third term yet. I'll be fine by the time the year ends. What you need to worry about is getting some sleep, the bags under your eyes are getting bigger by the day, look.
Seigan took out his phone, opened the camera, and flipped it so Inezo could see his reflection. Inezo lazily gazed at himself, tilted his face to the left, then the right, shrugged, then grabbed the phone to turn it back on Seigan.
Inezo: The bags under my eyes don't go away no matter the amount of sleep I get. They're just part of who I am at this point, but look at yourself— is this a face you wanna see in your local WcRonalds?
Seigan took a long look at the reflection of himself, analyzing each aspect of himself carefully; his light brown skin that he got from his father's African American roots, his brown dreadlocks tied in his signature ponytail style, his black eyes, and even his headphones that he takes everywhere.
Seigan flashed a sarcastically confident smile at Inezo.
Seigan: I don't know, I think I could pull it off; I could be the world's best-looking fast food employee. What do you think?
Inezo watched as Seigan continued to look at his own reflection and say fast food worker lines, Inezo sighed and closed his eyes as he laid his head down on the desk.
Inezo: Whatever, just wake me up when it's time for us to go to our next class.
Seigan: Wait, Inezo, you can't go to sleep yet! I haven't finished complaining about the math exam, who am I gonna talk to? Inezo! Hey Inezo! How'd you fall asleep that quickly?
Seigan shook his friend to no avail. Just as Seigan gave up, the door flew open; a figure zipped across the classroom and attached a third desk to the duo's. The third piece of Seigan and Inezo's group: Takuro Rimio, a multi-sport student who falls into the more popular side of their grade. He's notorious for both his athletic ability but also because of his royal purple eyes and hair.
Takuro: Mornin' Seigan. Seems I got here a bit too late, Inezo's already taking his late-morning nap. Heard we had a math test today, how'd that go? From what I've been hearing it was super quick and super easy.
Seigan: Hey Takuro, the math exam was utter agony! There must have been a class study session that I wasn't invited to because I seem to be the only one who found it remotely difficult. Why weren't you here for the exam? Aren't you worried about your grade?
Takuro: I had Kendo club practice, then I had to help the baseball club run drills, and after that, I was busy helping the track team. But don't worry I already talked to Mr. Hidan, he said I could take it another day.
Seigan: Lucky, I already know my grade on it isn't gonna be the best. I wish I stayed home, I can't believe he gave us an exam on an optional day.
Takuro: Yeah, that's unlucky, especially since you don't show up for them often. Oh, also I know I've asked you before but are you sure you don't wanna join a sports club? You're in good enough shape for it.
Seigan: It's just not my thing. Nothing against the clubs but I truly just don't think it's for me.
As Seigan and Takuro continue talking, three figures observed the school from a nearby building.
Mysterious Man: Ok! It would seem that some of the targets are together on the 4th floor and the other ones are down on the 2nd…hmmm, I was hoping to capture them all in one fell swoop but this will do.
The man clapped his hands as he directed his attention to the other two individuals who occupied the roof with him. One bulky muscular man and the other a tall skinny man.
Mysterious Man: Ok! Here's what we're gonna do, or should I say what you two are going to do. You my Rook will handle the targets on the 4th floor while my Bishop here takes care of those on the 2nd, does that sound like a plan or does that sound like a PLAN!
The two didn't respond, they continued to look at the man with glossed-over eyes and saliva dripping from their mouths as if there were no thoughts going through their heads.
Mysterious Man: Ok! Seems you two aren't all that talkative but you were the best pieces I could find in this town full of garbage. Regardless, climb on the rook's back so you can go and capture them, and if you fail…well you won't have to worry about that because those who have the privilege to serve me are above the concept of failure.
The bell rang signaling the transition of classes. Seigan, Takuro, and Inezo grabbed their stuff and shuffled out with the crowd of students into the hallway. Takuro talked to Inezo about the test and what else he's been up to since Inezo was asleep for the initial conversation. Inezo yawned in between responses and thought about whether he should take his early afternoon nap as soon as he got to class or wait until the teacher started talking.
Seigan: Hey guys, what do you wanna do when you guys get older? Do you know what you wanna do for the rest of your lives, or at least have some kind of idea?
Takuro: I've actually put a lot of thought into that recently…
Seigan: Oh? What'd you decide on? Something with kendo or maybe one of the other thousand club activities you participate in?
Takuro: Yeah probably, I've put a lot of time into kendo; also my parents think that's the best path for me.
Seigan: Your parents can't just decide everything for you.
Takuro: You'd be surprised. It's been like this my whole life.
Takuro began recalling how his parents had planned his whole childhood. Seigan decided to direct the conversation topic towards his other friend.
Seigan: How about you Inezo? Have you decided on a dream job yet or are both of us gonna be flipping burgers at a WcRonalds?
Inezo: *Yawns* I wish you would give me a little bit more credit. I've known what I want to be since we were 1st years.
Seigan's eyes lit up as he saw the resolve on Inezo's face.
Inezo: I want to be…A PROFESSIONAL MATTRESS TESTER!
Seigan slapped his hand to his face and let out a disappointed sigh, then he laughed.
Seigan: Well I guess you're in the same boat as me, we can flip burgers together until you figure out what you wanna do.
Inezo: Right… Well, if you want to avoid that I can tutor you in math, I'm sure if you apply yourself you could—
Seigan: Hold on, be quiet for a second…Do you guys hear that?
A series of loud thuds grew increasingly louder as they approached the school. Then they abruptly stopped; suddenly, the building shook.
Takuro: What was that?! It was like a bomb went off beneath us!
Seigan: It sounds like it came from the 2nd floor, let's go downstairs before anything else happens.
Inezo: There must've been an accident in the chemistry lab, the fire alarms should go off at any moment.
As they walked towards the stairs a sudden explosion in the classroom in front of them stopped them in their tracks. Smoke surged from both classroom doors as students screamed while they scrambled out of the room, some of them bleeding and others limping.
Even though the halls were filled with screams and cries from students, the trio didn't hear any of it. All they could hear were the heavy footsteps coming from the classroom; a massive hand emerged from the door and crushed the frame, as a silhouette walked through the smoke. The boys didn't know who was there or what they wanted, but all three of them knew one thing. The figure was looking at them.
The smoke cleared to reveal a giant of a man. He had cuts all over his arms, some of them still embedded with shards of glass in them. He lifted one of his massive hands and pointed at them.
Rook: Seigan Atasa, Inezo Kyurao, Takuro Rimio. Targets found. Capture.
The three of them all break out into a cold sweat upon hearing their names. They exchanged glances, then turned back to the muscular man.
Takuro: Why're you after us?!
The man didn't respond.
Seigan: What'd we do?!
Still no answer.
Inezo: Guys he's clearly not answering. Let's use the other stairs. C'mon!
In unison the boys turn and take off down the hall; Takuro leading, followed by Seigan, then Inezo. Takuro looked behind him at their pursuer and was surprised to see that he hadn't moved from where they left him.
Then; the behemoth assumes a sprint position, pressing his foot into the floor.
Takuro: Holy sh-
Before Takuro can even finish his sentence the man has closed more than half the distance between them. Takuro spun, grabbed his two friends, and dove into the nearest door narrowly avoiding the man's grasp.
The man blitzed by the door and came to a screeching halt a few doors down, Seigan rose, he took a look around to see which room Takuro had made their new safe haven.
Seigan: We're in the teacher's lounge! Oh, and I really appreciate the save Takuro glad we can count on your quick reflexes.
Inezo: Yeah thanks, not sure how much longer I could've kept running like that.
Takuro: No problem guys, but WHAT was that?! No human should be able to move like that. He shook the whole building!
Seigan: I'm not sure what that was, I know we need an escape plan 'cause we're obviously not gonna outrun that human freight train.
Inezo slowly walked over to the door, he peeked down the hallway in the direction of the behemoth. The monster wasn't moving but he was still looking in their direction. Inezo looked closer and saw that the man's leg was bent out of shape with bruises all over.
Inezo: Hey guys! It looks like he's hurt so he can't move, try to find something we can use.
Seigan and Takuro started flipping the room upside down, opening cabinets, drawers, and even the abandoned bags left behind by teachers. While the two boys ransacked the room, Inezo continued to observe the hulk of a man that's after them.
Beads of sweat chased each other down Inezo's face as he watched what seemed impossible. The behemoth's leg snapped back in the right direction and the color started to return; after lifting his leg up and down a few times, the goliath began to walk again.
Inezo: Time's up he's coming back! You guys better have something!
Seigan & Takuro: Ready!
Inezo rejoined his friends on the other side of the classroom. Seigan, holding a fire extinguisher that was in the corner, Takuro, holding a metal baseball bat that was confiscated by one of the teachers earlier in the day.
Seigan: Okay, here's the plan: we'll jump into the hallway and I'll let off the fire extinguisher, he said he wanted to apprehend us so hopefully he won't try that charge if he can't see us, he can't take the risk of crushing one of us. Once the smoke screen is up we have to make a beeline for the same stairs we were going for initially. Got it?!
Takuro and Inezo both nodded and gathered their courage for the impending danger. As the heavy footsteps slowly approached the boys knew they had to move.
All three boys took a deep breath.
Seigan: NOW!
They rushed out the door and just as planned Seigan released the foam down the hall towards their pursuer then promptly executed a 180° turn and sprinted to catch up with his friends.
Inezo glanced behind him and didn't see any movement within the foam.
Inezo: Nice work Seigan this might be the only time one of your plans has worked this well!
Seigan: Hey! I know I don't have the greatest track record but my plans have a sixty-three percent success rate.
Inezo: That's still not the best that's basically—
Voice: Help! Help me!
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