Shori No Megami

Objective #3: A Normal Life

Japan, Chotei-kai Secondary Compound, Kage’s Residence, April 8th, 0800 hours.

It’s been a week since she arrived in Japan and Sumire is slowly adjusting to a life not spent in constant peril. She is reclining on her uncle’s couch while reading from a tablet containing data about the school she’ll start attending the following Monday. According to the report, Shinai Academy is an escalator school that opened roughly around the same time as The Academy. It’s one of the top ranked in the nation. Classes B-E for each year contains, on a whole, normal students. The A and S classes, however, contain not only students exhibiting extraordinary scholarship and athletic ability, but also the children of several influential politicians, financial leaders, and underground organizations.

The current principal of the school was hired last year. She is special operative Code Name Delilah. She took up the position as an undercover agent on orders from the Chotei-kai to keep an eye on Hanketsu Shinji’s progress. It is her report concerning Shinji, who has just started his second year, which alarms Sumire the most.

                His grades fall well below his potential, and when he does attend classes he is insolent and condescending to both his teacher and his fellow students. His actions outside of the classroom are reckless, and he has been reported as the instigator of several violent and dangerous fights on campus. He has a particularly violent rivalry with the school’s “banchou”, Kichida Shou, who until five years ago fostered with the Hanketsu family.

                At this time, I can only conclude that Hanketsu Shinji is currently unfit to act as the head of the Chotei-kai…

Sumire’s hand moves to cover her mouth and she sighs when she rereads those last words. Currently unfit… That’s an understatement. They weren’t kidding when they said he’s the exact opposite of everything the head of the Chotei-kai should be. Growing up, Shinji was her perfect ideal of a gentle, graceful prince. He was a talented musician and dancer, his every movement and action filled with grace. He abhorred conflict and would always worry when she got herself in the middle of fights, which happened frequently. He only ever admonished her when she let her temper get the best of her… otherwise he spoiled her unreservedly. Although she was an incurable tomboy, he always made her feel as though she was beautiful and perfectly fine the way she was.

Sumire could spend hours watching him practice traditional Japanese dance or flower arrangement. She would beg him to play the flute until she could fall asleep. And he treated her, as he treated everyone, with kindness, patience, and a gentle strength that gave the impression of maturity well beyond his years. At the time, there was no doubt that he would make an excellent head of the Chotei-kai and everyone looked forward to his growth.

Oh, niichan… What happened to you?

Karasu walks in just as Sumire puts down the tablet. She removes her glasses, which she’s worn to provide her team with data concerning the school, so she can rub her strained eyes. “Ugh. It’s like walking into my own worst nightmare. I’m entering a twilight zone where niichan’s become a jerk and Shou’s in charge of the school’s delinquents. Can I call in sick on Monday, uncle?”

He laughs at the woebegone expression on her face. “You’d only be delaying the inevitable. Are you sure you don’t want enter the school as Hanketsu Mai?”

Sumire sighs. She’s been thinking about this since she learned she would be returning to Japan. After taking into consideration the volume of students with possible family connections to suspects in her assassination attempt, it’s too risky to the future of the investigation to let her enemies know she’s alive. “I’d rather let the possibility of my existence come out as a slow trickle instead of a raging waterfall.” ‘All warfare is based on deception,’ as they say. “At the very least it means getting my ani to help me out once I convince him it’s me.” I can’t think of terms of if. I have to get him to believe me. “Come to think of it, Shou might recognize me, too. Scary thought. If only I had Rose…”