A boy like him would never be able to succeed in life. Such petty words such as "sibling bonds" would only hold one back. Truly pathetic, just like their sorry excuse of a mother, sacrificing herself for a plan that was destined to fail. And now, all he has left is himself, and that little thing that he calls a sister. -Executioner
You plan on gettin' in my way again? I already know you aren't X, and I already know he's a friend of yours. How about we end our rivalry here, with one last fight? It'll be fun, and it'll be fun for the both of us. -Kukuku
Change, it doesn't always mean better. The best example is him, and what he was at the start of the year, compared to what he is now. He was strong, ambitious, wise. Now, he's weak, lost, and broken. It just goes to show how some humans have a stage of regression, and it's not always evolution. Not to be cruel or anything, but it is the truth. -GoldenBrown
Ayanokouji POV
If I had to put it into one word, the situation is currently "bad".
After that man left the room, it was just me and the chairman. Revealing the fact that he aims to get me out of this school, I'm quite thankful that the chairman stopped him, for now.
"Kiyotaka-kun, I assume you are aware of the Toma siblings' mother, correct?"
"Yes, she helped me out a lot in the past."
"And you should also know how she died, right?" The chairman asked again.
"That's right."
"You should also know that your father was the one that was behind it. And for that, I tell you this."
He turned to look at me, somewhat worried, but somewhat relieved at the same time.
"Alongside my partners, we've gathered enough evidence against your father, him coming here was the prime part of the plan."
A plan against him? This is getting interesting now.
"You found evidence on Toma-sensei being murdered?" I inquired.
"There's plenty of that, what I'm talking about is holistic evidence. To those that are aware, your father has committed multiple crimes against Japanese law and human rights, just by that place having to exist. Right now, once he leaves campus, the police should be by his car to escort him to a station."
"I understand that you knew he would come, but where did you get all the evidence from? Who are these partners you speak of?"
"I can answer that for him, chairman."
The door behind me creaked open. Turning around, I saw that Shiraishi-sensei was there, with a stack of papers in her hands.
"Ayanokouji Kiyotaka-kun, your father has made you to be a terrifying human being, that I know for sure. I also know that Mizuka-nee was your instructor for a while, which ultimately led to her death."
Mizuka-nee, huh? That can only mean one thing.
"You're her little sister, aren't you?" I said.
"Yes, did you not see the resemblance of me on little Shizuko? I'm her auntie, related by blood, you should at least see the likeness of me in her."
"Actually, well it is fairly obvious because of the genetics, but you look more like Toma-sensei than you do Toma-san." I commented.
"Thank you, but compliments will get you nowhere. Take a look at these."
She placed the stack of papers on the table in the middle of the room. Chairman Sakayanagi smiled at me and gestured for me to actually take a look at the documents, so I did. The front page had a title that said "Trial on the Accusation of Toma Satoshi against Ayanokouji Atsuomi"
"Toma Satoshi...? Their own father?"
"Yes. Before Mizuka-nee became a single mother, Toma Satoshi-kun was her husband, the father of my niece and nephew. He left the family for the sake of his children, he didn't think he was qualified to keep protecting them. Both he and my sister led dangerous lives."
I flipped over to the next page.
The case, according to Mr. Toma, is supposedly related towards the now underground 'WR Corporation', as well as the death of her ex-wife, Toma Mizuka. Mr. Ayanokouji has been accused of being responsible for her death, as well as the deaths of many others, including children.
An ex-detective from a local police station, who retired just a year prior to now, submitted her version of the report from the WR Corporation. This detective claims to have met a man, last name Tsukishiro, who in turn claimed to work for the WR Corporation, and reported to them that the cause of Mrs. Toma's death was an accident. This claim by Mr. Tsukishiro contradicts with Mr. Toma's claim of murder.
The trial will be held on multiple occasions, for this would be a possible crime hiding a larger crime. An unbiased judge and jury, not related to Mr. Toma or Mr. Ayanokouji by any means, shall be the ones to oversee the going of this trial.
On the next few pages, there was a compilation of reports and photographic evidences. Three teenagers I've never met, men in black coveralls, men in black suits, and what's more surprising, my butler Matsuo, who just earlier was claimed by that man to be dead.
"I doubt evidence is enough to take him down." I commented, closing off the files.
"Of course it wouldn't, but worry not, Kiyotaka-kun. Satoshi-kun isn't alone, the Kouenji Conglomerate is backing him up, and he has more than just evidence on him." The chairman pointed out.
"You don't need to do a thing, Ayanokouji-kun. Actually, scratch that, what you need to do is stay in this school, while we deal with this problem."
I'm all for that plan, but I feel like something is missing.
"What about my relationship with your niece and nephew?"
"Them? Just stay friends, and I doubt you could actually become enemies, not with your current relationship with them. You've been acting as their advisor this whole time, I'm sure they see you as a friend." Shiraishi-sensei said.
Friends, huh?
"I see, then thank you."
_______________________________________________________
Toma Hisoka POV
In a distorted space, I was wandering around. The school was in one hell of a mess, tables flipped, wall ornaments on the ground, lights blinking on and off. One would think that something like this was absolutely impossible for a well kept place like ANHS.
I passed through a broken door, entering a classroom. The classroom was also a mess, everything was in shambles, all except for the board, which was wiped clean.
"You are lost, aren't you?" A voice came from behind me.
Turning around, no one was there. I turned round and round, but there was no one in the room but me.
"Are you alright, little child?" The voice said again.
"Who are you?" I said, not knowing if they were even there.
"So cold, and for such a little child, a shame."
A blinding light began emanating from the doors and indoor windows, essentially making the hallway outside disappear.
"Are you truly a little child?" The voice said.
"Who are you!?" I shouted, I was having none of this.
I walked around the classroom, there was no entity or anything, just me. All that was left is to move into that blinding light, but I'm not dumb, I know it's suspicious.
While I was considering actually entering the light, a big gust of wind blew past me. That's impossible, the windows were closed, and yet there was wind blowing indoors.
"You think you're clever?" The voice taunted.
"Show yourself!" I shouted again.
"You think you're strong?"
"I said show yourself!"
"You think you're qualified to live?"
"Show yourself dammi-"
The whole room was suddenly covered in mist, and now I couldn't see anything. In the surroundings, I finally heard footsteps, only to be followed by the voice once more.
"The answer, is no."
A hand pushed me from behind and I lost my balance. I was falling now, but how could that be? The floor was solid the whole time. To brace myself for impact, I moved my body position, ready to sacrifice my legs to pay for my life, but what met me was a cushion, a trampoline of sorts.
"Come little child, witness your downfall." The voice said again.
The scene shifted all around me, a scene that was all too familiar.
The world was red, the ground broken apart, chunks floating around. This was a world of chaos, a world I have seen twice now, and it only meant that things were bad.
I stumbled trying to get up and run around. This whole mess of an area was too chaotic, and it served me no good by just being here.
"You can't keep this up."
On one of the floating chunks of land, Kushida was standing there, looking at me as if I was dead to her.
"One day, Toma-kun! I'm getting my revenge!" She shouted as I ran past her position.
So many voices, shouting at me...
"You should just die!"
"Why are you even here in the first place?"
"Why'd you have to blackmail me!?"
"Get lost, loser."
"You're garbage."
Familiar voices, from all throughout the years, and even from recently in ANHS. Without paying attention, I almost fell off a ledge, but luckily I stopped myself. Slowly going backwards, I turned around, only to be met by another face, Sakayanagi's.
"Farewell, Toma-kun."
Using her free hand, she pushed me off the ledge with a force I didn't expect. After moments, I crashed on solid ground but...I felt nothing. Why does nothing hurt?
"Regret, doubt, distrust. A little child like you, having felt all those things already? " The unknown voice began mocking me once again.
The mist from earlier in the classroom returned, and a silhouette loomed over me. A girl it seems, with long hair. Before I knew it, there was a gun barrel pointed right at my forehead.
"Tell me, are you afraid of death?"
Seeing as I didn't have a choice but to answer, I did.
"No."
"A little child, not afraid of death, hm? What about..."
The fog dispersed in a flash. The unknown figure revealed herself, shocking me to the core.
"...Betrayal?"
Shizuko knelt down beside me, still keeping the gun trained to my forehead.
"Any last words, Hisoka?" She said coldly.
Betrayal begets betrayal, and yet...all I felt for her was how I always felt for Shizuko, someone I needed to love and protect. If my death protected her, so be it.
"...I love you, little sister."
"How touching, but we don't."
Behind her, five more silhouettes appeared, slowly revealing themselves to be the other alters.
"Goodbye." Shizuko said, before her finger pulled the trigger.
BANG!
"Gah!"
I forced myself up, immediately feeling for my forehead. There was no hole, and yet the nerves surrounding that area were all active and it actually hurt a little.
"A nightmare. Just...a nightmare."
It seems my nervous system is reacting to what happened in my nightmare. The nerves by my forehead are still active, and all I could do was rub it until it fades away. Taking my phone which was by the table, it was my usual wake up time when I have to prepare for school.
"Of all the things I had to dream about, it was that again."
That same place of red and ruptured ground, where logic doesn't exist, where imagination ran rampant. It was the bane of me, the image that haunted me when mother died, and when Yuko returned on the island. It was back once again, for the third time.
Having the need to set it aside for now, I decided to shake it off, then begin my day.
______________________________________________________________
After classes ended for the day, unexpected people strode into the classroom. Ryuuen and his Class C entourage walked through the door, causing some of our classmates to panic. I didn't really care though. Supposedly to them, it was time for a full on confrontation with our class. They've been observing us for weeks now, and Ryuuen probably picked out his prey, so now they were here.
Horikita who was packing up, stopped and observed the Class C group as they walked in. All around me, my classmates were either getting worried or panicking over the fact that Ryuuen himself finally decided to come to our classroom. The atmosphere could almost choke you, since all these opponents were suddenly in home soil.
"Hey, what's goin' on? This is Class D." Sudou was the first to react. He was usually quick to pick a fight, but seemed more defensive this time.
He stood and approached Ryuuen. Hirata panicked and hurried to stand between them, probably afraid that they were about to get violent.
"Do you have some business with our class, Ryuuen-kun?" Hirata asked.
In response, Ryuuen exaggeratedly raised his hands.
"Is there any reason I can't visit my schoolmates? That does happen at this school, doesn't it? Visiting a pal. Why're you all shaking?"
"That's normally true, yes. But this school isn't normal, is it? Besides, you've never visited Class D before." Hirata said.
"We've been too estranged. I thought we should be a little more assertive about buddying up." Ryuuen said.
I stopped paying attention to him blabber on and just focused on my inner thoughts.
Something bad was definitely coming, and it wasn't even Ryuuen's visit. Because of that nightmare, I couldn't relax for the whole day, and slowly but surely my mental health deteriorated. Thinking for this long was bad for me, but I couldn't help but do so. What else was I to do but think?
Back on the island when I took that nightmare as a warning, I found out that Yuko appeared again after around two years of not doing so. That wasn't the bad thing, the bad thing was that their body was in horrible shape, having gone through a fight during the night time, without me knowing that it happened.
This time, I feel like it is also another thing that I don't know about. Something that's happening behind my back, something large that would greatly affect us. All Sakayanagi told me was that mother didn't die in an accident, it was of murder, and it got my blood boiling, I wanted revenge. Tsukishiro knowingly lied to us, I'm betting the WR Corporation didn't even exist, it's probably just a cover.
He said she died in a lab accident, he said it couldn't be prevented. Well, I do believe that he himself wasn't the one to kill her, I believe its this "boss" he told us about. Though they gave us fifteen million yen, no amount of money is enough to pay for the life of a child's parent, or any lives at all. Human lives are priceless after all, and yet here I am, wanting to be the one to execute myself.
I no longer know what my purpose would be. Should I think of getting revenge? Plan out my countermeasures to possible future confrontations? Ask for more details from Sakayanagi? Confide in Shizuko about this secret? There are so many options, and yet for the first time in a long while, I'm indecisive. I truly didn't know what I should do.
I'm such a fool.
"Hey, you wanna go with them?"
To my left, Yuko asked me if I would go, go where?
"Go where, exactly?" I asked her.
"Sigh...You weren't paying attention, were you? Ayanokouji-kun and the others are heading off to stop Ryuuen-kun's gang." She explained.
"We don't love you."
"You alright, onii-sama?"
"Huh? Oh, sorry. I don't think I'll go with them." I said, covering half of my face with a hand.
"You're afraid of betrayal?"
I'm starting to hallucinate. Somehow, I'm beginning to not be able to distinguish reality from my thoughts.
"You wanna go somewhere else then?"
"You want to be free?"
Slowly, I stood up, grabbing my bag.
"Hey, hey, you're stumbling. Are you really okay?"
"I'm fine, I just...need to walk it off."
"We don't need you here."
I made my way out of the classroom, then walked through the hallway.
"Hold on, you clearly need to go to the infirmary. Come with me, please." Yuko urged.
"I'll kill you myself."
"No, I don't think I need to. Just leave me be."
"Die."
I lost my balance and fell to my knees, alerting Yuko.
"Oh no, you're just ignoring yourself again. Hirata-kun! I need help out here!"
What's happening to me?
"You're worthless."
"Toma-kun, are you alright!?"
"We need to get him to the infirmary! Please, help me get him up!"
"I got this Hirata-kun, its better if you stay at the classroom."
"But-"
"You're better off keeping everybody else calm. Please, I have this."
"...Alright, please get him there safely, Toma-san, Matsushita-san."
I couldn't see, but I could certainly feel. My body was slowly getting moved up straight then walking.
"Okay! I didn't expect him to be this heavy, we're gonna be a little slow."
"You're garbage."
So...tired...
"Rest up, little child."
______________________________________________
Yuko POV
After we got him to the infirmary, I told the nurse exactly what happened. Onii-sama apparently had low blood pressure, which caused him to begin growing weak, then eventually collapsing. The nurse also said that he was most likely also suffering from mental fatigue, because the rest of his body was doing just fine.
Matsushita-san left us soon after the nurse told us he'd wake up after a little while, claiming that she didn't want to disturb us. That left us here with him, still sound asleep. I've just been here trying to piece together why this could have happened.
Perhaps it was the big reveal about mother's death? No, that's too shallow, even for onii-sama. I mean sure, it must be part of it, but I'm certain that there has to be something else. This whole day it looked to me like his mind was elsewhere, thinking about something, not paying attention to the surroundings. That was the fact that concerned me, because onii-sama always paid attention to his surroundings.
It had to be something else in play. Onii-sama had to have been thinking about something other than mother's death. It shouldn't cloud his mind all that much, I'm sure of it, of all people we alters should know of it. He was occupied with something else, but what? The people that killed mother? Our issues with our opponents in this school? Sakayanagi-san's probable betrayal? There are too many things to consider.
"What could you be thinking about, onii-sama?"
"Perhaps I could help with that?"
From the door, a person stood there. It was Ayanokouji-kun.
"I thought you were confronting Ryuuen-kun with Horikita-san and the others." I said.
"We were done a few minutes ago. Since I didn't bring my bag, I wanted to grab it from the classroom, but I heard from Hirata that your brother suddenly collapsed and that you were here in the infirmary."
"Why do you care though?"
"I made a promise, didn't I? I'd protect you, give you advise and such, mental health falls into that threshold, and it would seem Toma-kun's mental health is in a state of disarray."
He put his bag down on a table, pulled up a chair then sat down on the other side of onii-sama's bed.
"Any symptoms?" Ayanokouji-kun asked.
"Low blood pressure, mental fatigue, anxiety attack, probably overthinking and PTSD as well."
"Hm, I'm getting a sense of deja vu."
"What?"
"Nothing. Anyway, the overthinking part is the most probable thing that caused this. The real question is what exactly was he thinking about."
"I know part of what he is thinking about, but I'm sure there's more to it."
"That is?"
I took off my glasses and wiped them clean, all while keeping my eyes trained on Ayanokouji-kun.
"We know what happened now, mother's death, I mean."
"...I see. And, do you blame me, Yuko?"
"What? Why would I? You may have been there, but I'm sure you weren't the one that caused it. Even if mother did die trying to help you, it was her choice, and its a respectable one. Mother always cared about Shizuko-chan and onii-sama, and so did she for other kids."
I do not think Ayanokouji-kun understands that just because he was there when she died, it means that it was one hundred percent his fault. Either that, or he just thinks we'd hold a grudge on him through our grief, which wasn't true. Though we do want revenge, we want to fix our anger onto the correct people, turn it into our weapon.
"Even though there's a chance that I killed her with my own two hands?" He asked.
"Do you have evidence that you were the one to kill her? No, right? Then thinking about the if is worthless, its better if we focus on what is. Onii-sama taught us many things, that includes having to control our emotions until we have everything in the picture put in place."
"Sounds like all of you had a great teacher in someone that's in our age range."
"Yeah, I consider us to be lucky. Onii-sama forced himself to experience a whole lot, that way he can learn, and then teach it to us as well. Before we eventually surpassed him and he told us to start learning by ourselves."
"Well enough about that, we're getting off topic. Since you don't blame me, all that's left for me is to apologize, for not having been able to do anything at the time, I mean."
"Nonsense, and onii-sama would say that's nonsense as well. What truly is all that's left are three things. One; you having to deal with Ryuuen-kun, since it's come to my attention that his classmates have been acting strangely. Some of them haven't been looking for you, and instead they've been keeping tabs on Karuizawa-san."
"I'll be the one to deal with that, I promised her that I'd protect her too, after all."
"Next, is this whole situation with onii-sama. You don't have to do anything, this is our problem, you can stay out of it if you want. Then last is Sakayanagi-san, it's obvious that you also have a connection with her. I won't pry into it, but please just let us know if she intends to betray us."
"Fine with me, we're all allies here."
"Good, thank you."
I stood up from my seat, then offered him a hand.
"You're forgiven, for all the actions you once took against us. But just know, I'm watching you." I warned him.
He got up from his seat as well, then took my hand in his in a firm shake.
"Business as usual. Don't worry, I have no more intentions of doing harm against you, that is if you allow me to."
"Ahaha! Well if I need help in talking some sense into this sleepyhead, I'll call you."
"Sure."
Guess this guy isn't so bad after all.
______________________________________________________
"Thanks Ayanokouji."
"No problem. Well, good night you two."
Ayanokouji-kun left onii-sama's room. After we chatted in the infirmary, once he woke up, I needed help getting onii-sama back to the dorms, he gladly obliged. Now we were here, and now it was time for answers.
"You doing okay now?" I asked him.
"I don't think I am."
Turning around, he was holding his head in his arm again.
"Can you tell me what the problem is?"
"I don't think I can do that...either."
He was about to fall again. Upon me realizing it, I quickly put my hands on his back to slow the fall, then made him sit down on the bed.
"Please, we haven't been figuring out what's wrong. Tell us, and we'll help you."
"It's my head, Yuko."
He looked at me straight in the eye at long last. What met me was an unusual expression on his face.
Fear.
"I can't tell if you're saying you want to help me, or you want to kill me." He said slowly, and in a strained voice.
I see. I get it now, of course! His thoughts are in such a swirl that he can't tell between his mind and reality. It must be something that contradicts with what we're saying. Onii-sama is imagining something about us, possibly about being abandoned.
"No, we don't want to kill you. Why would you even think that!? We're here to help, we've always been here to help. Not once have we thought about abandoning you!"
"But I don't know that, not anymore. I can't think straight anymore, I can't understand what people are saying, I can't control what's even in my head. How am I suppose to live like this?"
For the first time ever, for me at least, he was panicking. The strongest and calmest person I know, was panicking. The man I've looked up to, surpassed, and wanted to protect, has regressed. The onii-sama I once knew was gone, replaced by a guy who acts fitting for someone his age.
He was trembling, afraid, lost, broken. Toma Hisoka was gone, but this isn't over just yet. I need to wake him up.
I held his head in my arms, and made him look at me.
"Ignore your thoughts for a moment. Overthinking is horrible for your mental health, instead you need to stop thinking and listen to me, understand?"
"N-No, I ca-"
"Yes you can! You're not yourself! We are here to help, that is a promise we would never break, me being here and exerting so much effort in you proves that, now look at me!"
His tired eyes met mine.
"We love you, you understood that, you need to once again. We love you, we always have and we always will. Wake up, please..."
"Wake...up, huh? Am I not awake right...now? What's this?"
Upon seeing it, I was taken aback. There was a stream of water coming down his face. Tears. Finally, it's actually happening, after all this time.
I pulled him into a hug, not letting him wipe them away.
"That's it, let it all out. You'll feel a whole lot better afterwards."
"What is this feeling, please...explain." He said, his voice even more strained, all while slowly putting an arm around my back.
"It's called crying, onii-sama. Let it all out, all those thoughts about mother, about betrayal, about safety, complain about them and cry. We'll be here, crying with you."
After a few seconds, he finally gave in. He wept loudly, cried on my shoulder, making me cry a bit as well. He is finally expressing himself after all this time. His thoughts that haunt him can disappear, his stress that aches him can blow over. The once strongest man I know, is confiding in us, how much he wanted to cry after all these years.
Every agony he went through, all that mental stress, he can let it out. Soon, it would only feel like a prolonged nightmare. Please, cry until you can no longer do so, son.