Chemical Engineering

Chapter Three: Classmates

"Ugh... my head." Kumiko groaned as she woke up.

She looked around, disoriented, as she surveyed where she was. It seemed as if she was in a dorm room. The floor was a hard, cold cement and the walls were a plain beige. She was laying on a pretty big bed with a red marble themed bedding. There was a large mahogany desk with a mirror connected and a closet next to it.

Standing up she opened the closet and was shocked at the fact her clothes, from the bag she packed, was already put inside.

Scratching her head, she was surprised when she heard a heavy clunk hit her head, way heavier than her hand. She pulled her hand away, her eyes widened in horror...

It looked like a shock collar, but designed to fit around her wrist like a bracelet.

What... I-I don't understand...

KNOCK KNOCK

Kumiko looked towards her door which looked to be heavy and metallic. She wasnt able to push it open and she looked for a key. She was unsuccessful until she saw a keycard that was swipeable.

Sliding the keycard, she stepped back as the doors opened.

And her eyes widened as she saw a very disturbing image.

What kinda place am I in?!

A two foot tall, animatronic kitsune stared back at her, a sick grin in place. One eye was a beady black and the other a glassy blue, half of its body was mechanical and the other was covered in yellow fur.

"Heya toots! Glad to see you're finally awake!"

Startled by the creature's sickly sweet voice, she stammered a response. "I'm... I'm sorry, I don't quite understand."

"Eh don't sweat it! The others are waiting for your slow ass!"

"Others?"

"Yeah your classmates! So let's shake a leg!"

"I... alright."

Stepping out of the doorway, she was startled when the door slammed and locked behind her. Shaking her head, she followed the strange fox down the halls, attempting to memorize the path along the way.

The walls were a hard brick pattern and the windows were covered with barbed wire, sharp and rusty. Cobwebs filled empty spaces and Kumiko shivered from the draft filling the halls.

Finally she came to a doorway, labelled "Gymnasium".

"Go on inside and get acquainted! I'll be there soon enough!"

"...alright."

Stepping into the room, the doors closed behind and locked themselves, preventing her to leave.

What the-

"Ayy look at you, pretty lady!"

"Ah!" Spinning around, Kumiko's mouth hung open. There were about 15 other people in the room with her, all of them quite different from each other.

"Minato, we told you to stop with every new girl."

"Not my fault all of you guys are hot."

"Not cool man. Anyways she's looking pretty scared."

"Maybe we should say our names and introduce ourselves instead of staring like creeps?"

"Right." One of the girls stepped forward. "Sorry about the stares. My name is Hiroko Kusu. I am the Ultimate Researcher."