rakuen | Next stop: Utopia Academy

You're falling, and you can't remember why. It's a sickening feeling that makes your insides lurch; the darkness and the vertigo combine, and all you can think of is a story you heard once, somewhere.

-I remember now. It's a simple story that everyone knows. A legend of a Princess, the Demon Lord who kidnapped her, and the Knight who fought to save her.

The Demon Lord had kidnapped the Princess countless times, but every time the Knight bested his challenges and rescued the Princess.

No matter what tricks and ploys the Demon Lord used, the Knight would always triumph in the end. This was because--

The world tilts on its axis one last time, and the dream slips from your mind as easily as it arrived. A new voice intrudes on your sleep.

"Next stop: Academy Main Entrance. This tramline terminates here; all change. Next stop: Academy Main Entrance. All change."

Sunlight streams through the windows of the long carriage, making the seats almost uncomfortably warm beneath its sleeping passengers. The air is muggy and thick, the atmosphere relaxing. Almost too relaxing; the warmth and the silence make it difficult to immediately muster any kind of reaction or thought. Your nausea settles, slowly. The last of the dream fades.

"We have arrived at Utopia. Repeat, we have arrived at Utopia Academy. Could all passengers please leave the tram, as it is terminating here."

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Koharu's eyes opened slowly, the dream just fading from her mind. Utopia Academy, it was where...where she was from right? She sat up suddenly, blinking widely.

Where was Sora a-and...the. Rest of them. She struggled to remember what Yuki or anyone else looked like but it slid away. Not important, what was important was why was she on a train and why couldn't she remember what happened in between.

"Strange..."

"Isn't it just?"

The voice came from behind her, as Gino twisted around to face the next bank of seats. With the hand not holding another boy within reach, he was rifling through a bag. A familiar-looking blazer was already out and unfolded on his lap. "Oh, is that the uniform? You got changed fast!"

She responded before her mind caught up, smoothing down the blazer carefully, "It's our school's uniform--"

But her head snapped up and her hands curled in her lap. A male. Her expression fixed into a determined little look and she sat up straighter.

"I don't think I've met you before." Which means she does not know if you are on the side of girls or not.

Oh, someone who was already at the school. How lucky. She didn't look too happy, though. Gino shifted his smile up a gear in response to her look, a little sheepish.

"Ah, right. I'm the Knight of Three, but you can call me Gino." He tilted his head and looked her over, before offering his free hand for her to shake over the backs of their seats. "And you are..?"

It wouldn't do to be impolite, but... She had a moment of panicked indecision, she didn't have to shake his hand, but he's a Knight?--oh it would be ok. She shook it very quickly, dropping her hands back in her lap.

"Izaki Koharu. You're a Knight?" Her voice lilted up in vague confusion.

"Uh-huh. One of them." He looked around again, taking in the faces of those around them. "And this is still Area 11, right?"

"Area 11?" She glanced around, uncertain, "I don't think so, this is Utopia Academy. Or it will be." She glanced around herself, "What sort of Knight is a Knight of Three?" Sora would want to know either way.

She didn't recognize Koharu but her mind was telling her that a boy interacting with a girl was a very bad thing, especially since the girl was wearing the school uniform.

Yuki stood up and walked over to where Koharu was and sat next to her, "Don't bother her, you'll need to deal with Sora if you do," she shoots a look at Gino.

"Really? There are quite a few Numbers here--" he broke off, and narrowed his eyes. If this was some kind of trick, then maybe... "Ah, my mistake. 'Japan'?" There weren't many people from Area 11 in other parts of the empire, so they had to be.

He glanced up absently at the other girl as she walked over, and blinked as she addressed him. "Who's Sora?"

"I'm not sure--" She gave a little start and glanced up at Yuki, blinking uncertainly. Oh the girl must have heard of Sora somewhere in the Academy and seen Koharu with her. She turned back to Gino and smiled.

"Sora is my knight. She protects me." Her face lit up with the very thought of Sora.

"Your knight?" Her head shot towards Koharu, "She's my knight."

Yuki stared at Koharu, her looks weren't ringing any bells. "Who are you?" she looks towards Gino, another unfamiliar face, "And you?"

"Gino," he said again, affable even as the two girls squared off. Truth be told, he was a little confused. A competition between royalty? Sora would be their bodyguard, then, but that didn't explain why they clearly didn't know each other. He decided to stay out of it. "And this is Koharu. Who are you?"

Koharu knew all of Sora's weapons--didn't she? Yuki, Tomoko, Reiko, Hiyo...She didn't look like any of them but what did they look like. Her confusion was slowly upsetting her and she sat back in her seat. She should know what to do in this situation, why didn't she?

"We had records of every girl Sora saved though..." She whispered to herself, then glanced up at Gino.

Sorry Gino, you're being ignored for a moment now, "Koharu? You're not Koharu, she's--" what was she going to say? For some reason Yuki couldn't conjure up an image of Koharu in her mind. Maybe this girl was telling the truth, maybe she is Koharu.

"Koharu? I'm Yuki."

Gino raised an eyebrow, but shrugged and sat back in his seat, effectively removing himself from the conversation. It was the polite thing to do, and he highly doubted he could help with whatever was going on between the two of them.

Koharu turned to him, "I'm sorry, I..." But he'd already ducked down out of sight and he probably didn't realize she was talking to him at all. She settled back. He'd seemed nice for a man...

"Yuki?" She tried to summon up the person associated with the name but all that came up were actions. 'Which one would you choose?' 'We have to help her in any way we can right?'

Why couldn't she remember one of her closest friends?

"I'm sorry, I just don't remember you. I mean. I remember Yuki, just not you?"

"But I'm Yuki" This whole thing doesn't make any sense. Maybe she's not Koharu at all.

"I believe you. It's just so confusing...I don't remember your face at all. Maybe we need name tags." She paused, tapping her chin a little.

"Either way, we have to help Sora, right? We promised."

"Name tags would be useful, especially since there are people here I don't recognize." Not that she recognizes you either, "Either way, we still need to help Sora."

Next stop: Utopia Academy

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/ducks out of thread for now <3

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