Meet and Greet [intro #1]

[utopiamods]

As you all crowd onto the platform with your bizarre mix of faces, expressions, clothing and wild theories, you are met by two girls. Both are in uniforms that would match if not for the colour differences - skirt, waistcoat, and a light summer shirt that seems totally inappropriate for the thin layer of snow coating the station platform. Both have a beret with a crest - one's shows a sword, the other's a shield.

At the first lull in the chatter, the taller girl, her uniform red and white, speaks out over the crowd.

"Hey, losers!"

She explains, in short, irritated sentences, that they're prefects, representing the two schools in Rakuen. Santana, Conquest, she says, gesturing to herself with a smile that would be smug if she didn't look so annoyed to be out here. Nanami here is Fortitude, she adds, pointing to the pale girl half-leaning on her other arm. The girl nods.

"We're here to get you sorted and back to campus. If you wanna ask stupid questions, do it on the way. It's freezing out here."

The girl introduced as Nanami interrupts. "When we say your name, please move quickly and quietly to us."

"Yeah, then we can go back to the dorms."

They separate, moving to stand several metres apart, and both pull a list from their waistcoat pocket. Alternating, they start to read out your names.

Comments

[effortless]

It is 'a Rakuen thing'. Japan has nothing to do with it.

[bifurious]

Then Rakuen's just part of Rakuen?

I guess a battle school doesn't sound too awful, but I was in the middle of something.

[effortless]

That would be one way of putting it. [ she ignores the second comment. It's entirely useless to protest like that. ]

[bifurious]

[ SIGH. ] If I play along with this do I get to go home eventually?

[effortless]

[ she pauses, as if honestly considering that. ]

The probability of that is high.

[bifurious]

[ ...Better than nothing... ]

This better not take too long, then. If I'm gone too long I'll get in serious trouble with...

[ ...with... She goes blank. That guy. What was his name? The one who she was working for? ]

[effortless]

It took us almost a year to win our game. If I had to guess, I would say you could expect a similar outcome.

[ and then she falls silent, politely waiting for Roxie to finish her blank moment out of long practice. When she's done, Nanami repeats her last sentence. ]

[bifurious]

[ GAH. It's probably just that stupid tip-of-the-tongue thing. It's happened to her before. MOVING ON. ]

You won? But you're still here.

[effortless]

Only six of us remained behind, to fuel the gate.

[bifurious]

...

How about you start from the beginning?

[effortless]

Of what?

[bifurious]

Who's behind this place, how you won, why six of you had to stay behind.

[effortless]

For the first one... I do not know. It seems to be a circular system. The previous six had been left behind too, after all. Perhaps there is no greater power, but just the system. Or rather, that is one theory. The second, we fought each other and grew stronger. When we had collected the stars, we were able to fight the city itself. I can't say too much about this, you understand. As for why the number is six... who knows?

[ she might have purposefully misunderstood that last one. ]

[bifurious]

Okay, stars? What are those?

[effortless]

Defeat the devils to gain the stars, said the Sage, wasn't it? Not that I am a sage, but that is the legend.

[bifurious]

[ ... huh. From that dream... ]

Okay, I can do that.

[effortless]

That's the spirit.

[bifurious]

So where do I find these devils? Or is there some prerequisite for fighting them?

[effortless]

Quite a lot of them. Our headmistress will explain further when we reach the campus.

[bifurious]

Ah.

Okay, let's go, then.

[effortless]

In a moment.