Hakuyou Gakuen

(Horticulture Department)

One: Maybe it'll be easier for you to become close if I press your buttons~! Shirae-kun and Shunomaru-kun... If it's you two... I wonder if you'll meet our expectations.

{sound f/x paa: shining light from the computer screen}

::page::

Elsewhere, shadowed figures of young boys shine on blank walls, talking to each other. [If you know Shoujo Kakumei Utena (Revolutionary Girl Utena), these "Shadow Boys" are just a play on the ever-present "Shadow Girls."]

Shadow Boy A: "Heey, that rumor... It really true?"

Shadow Boy B: "Aah, you mean the rumor about the academies on the solitary island..."

Shadow Boy A: "It says that apparently there are guys at those schools who were actually scouted out..."

Shadow Boy B: "No way! Who!?"

Shadow Boy A: "Shunomaru... his big brother."

Shadow Boy B: "Shunomaru's big brother huh... It's got to be him, huuh..."

The Shadow Boys suddenly turn towards the audience.

Shadow Boy A: "Heey, Shunomaru. He's really awesome, isn't he, your big brother."

Shadow Boy B: "Shunomaru... Your big brother, he's so pretty and thinks about his little brother so kindly..."

::page::

Shadow Boy A: "So why do you hate him?"

Shunomaru: ...shut up...

Shadow Boy B: "Weell, if you were always compared to an older brother like that, you'd probably become a little mean, but stilll..."

Shadow Boy A: "But they were close before, right?"

Shunomaru: Shut up...

Shadow Boy B: "Right, Shunomaru..."

Shadow Boy A: "shunomaru"

Shunomaru: SHUT UP!! Don't talk about him!

::page::

Seltis: ...Goodest mornings. [Instead of the normal "Ohayo," Seltis greets Shunomaru with the slightly quirky "Ohayo-san."]

Shunomaru: ...hey...

{sound f/x bo: Shunomaru's exhaustion}

Seltis: Just like always, you had a flashy nightmare. Saw a traumatic-type dream.

Shunomaru: Shut up... You got business here...

Seltis: Just the usual deliveries. For you.

Shunomaru: Ahh... Just put it over there.

::page::

Drawing back, Shunomaru's bedroom is covered in cactuses, of all sizes and shapes.

Seltis: But it's pretty impressive that he'd go this far.

Shunomaru: I can't even get ticked about it any more...

Seltis: They're from your Hakuyou older brother, aren't they... Just a single sheet of his love...

{sound f/x guru: Shunomaru shaking with anger}

Shunomaru: It's not love, it's harassment! That bastard... Every week, every week...

Seltis: You hate them so much, and yet you keep them arranged so carefully.

Shunomaru: I threw them away. And then again... And then again...

Seltis: ...eh?

::page::

Shunomaru: BUT THE NEXT DAY THEY CAME BACK! AND RIGHT NEXT TO MY BED!!

{sound f/x zumo: a cactus looming in the background}

Seltis: Th... that's, a scary story...

Shunomaru: ...dammit that bastard... I'll absolutely defeat him some day!!

Seltis: And that's why... you made yourself connections with the Student Council members, right? On this nonsense island, the one unique thing is... the Kokuyou and Hakuyou treasure search, as well as the unforgiving fighting that only occurs between the Student Council members and those connected with them... Well, as it is, it's not even strange if lives are lost.

Shunomaru: ......

::page::

Seltis: Especially the power of the Student Council's Number 1 and Number 2... It's really inhuman. We're different from normal students. The unique of the unique.

Shunomaru: [thinking of Arms] Well, but at Hakuyou there really is an inhuman one, you know.

Seltis: If you're scouted for these academies, learn your abilities, and graduate, then your future is also promised... Our senpai are the forefront of the world. Backstage, there are brilliant deeds remaining... [Senpai is the Japanese word for one's senior.]

The shadowed senpai watch over the two. [The shadowed senpai, btw, are nothing more than a doctored photo of the seiyuu unit Weiß. The picture is taken from their first drama CD when they're all in character cosplay: Koyasu Takehito (Aya) is in front, Seki Tomokazu (Ken) is on the left, Yuuki Hiro (Omi) is on the right, and Miki Shin'ichirou (Yohji) is cut for space constraints.]

Seltis: Therefore this island's rumor was called a rumor and it became a legend... Even though it's usually enough just to graduate, since you say you hate your big brother that much, you take a lot of risks with life. I don't get your feelings.

Shunomaru: THAT'S A MAN!! I WON'T GIVE UP TIL THE END!

Shunomaru's T-shirt: "Burning up!"

Shunomaru: DAMN BROTHER~~~!!

Seltis: Ah—h... he's running off...

::page::

At Hakuyou Gakuen...

Schoolboy #1: Shirae-san, are you going to your club?

Schoolboy #2: Please do your best!

Shirae: Thank you very much. [smile]

Schoolboy #2: Haa~~~~... He's so pretty and looks so nice...

Schoolboy #1: The academy's oasis...~

Horticulture Department

{sound f/x gara: clatter of sliding the door open}

Shirae: A holiday... After all, the best days for my Cactus experiments are days when no one's here... [chuckling] Huh...?

::page::

Shirae: This is...

At Kokuyou Gakuen...

Shunomaru: Ah—... It's so annoying, but I have to collect data now for tomorrow's treasure hunt. ! Wh... what's this!? This is... a sword and a shield... this is the same shape that Kouchou said the treasure has... ...so that means the treasure is around here...!? No... It's in the computer!!

::page::

{sound f/x pachin: wires snapping into place}

{sound f/x shuru: the swish of the wires settling}

Shunomaru: The only way to make sure is to head inside and check it out for myself... My ability... changing into an electric self and sneaking onto the net...! If you get a hold of it, the treasure that will grant your every wish... START! It's in here...!

{sound f/x buo: computer booting up sound}

::page::

Shunomaru: The power is further inside... This route is...!! This is the worst... [sigh] This is from Hakuyou, isn't it... Well... that's fine. This is what I've been waiting for!

{sound f/x fun: deep breath}

::page::

Shunomaru: Ha-ha~~~~n. This a protection that the bastard Shirae made... If this is all there is, it's a pushover.

{sound f/x gii: the wall squeaking open}

{sound f/x ooo: a cactus rushing forth}

Cactus: !!

Shunomaru: Wh-wh... What's thiis!? A trap!

::page::

Voice: No, that's my plant vaccine developed to inspect all electrical messages. He's Togetoge-kun. [Toge means a thorn, such as a cactus needle.]

Shunomaru: That voice... it's Shirae!!

{sound f/x kata: Shirae typing away}

Shirae: Long time no see, Shunomaru. [smile] Did you come here to see me?

Shunomaru: Get real!! Bastard... you tricked me into getting trapped here!

::page::

Shirae: Nonsense... I'm also investigating the same power that you are... I have no reason for trapping you, do I. You're my precious...

Shunomaru: Shut up!! You're harassing me, sending me those things every week!!

{sound f/x uki: Shunomaru shrieking}

Shunomaru: It's horrible!!

{sound f/x buu: Togetoge-kun slashing at Shunomaru}

Shunomaru: UWAA~

::page::

Shirae: How cruel... You went to a rival school and then didn't even seem lonely, and then you don't understand my feelings although I keep sending you your favorite cactuses...

{sound f/x yoyo: dramatic sobbing}

::page::

Shunomaru: I HAAATE THEM~~~~~!

{sound f/x buu}

Shirae: Ahh... By the way, as Togetoge-kun is a vaccine, he exterminates viruses.

Shunomaru: BASTARD! YOU DID THIS ON PURPOSEEE~~~~~~~~

{sound f/x buu}

Shunomaru: GYA—— AM I A VIRUS—

::page::

Shirae: Now then... I must investigate the origin of the power...

{sound f/x kata: Shirae typing away}

::page::

Shunomaru: Dammit... Shirae...

Flashback...

Tomoe: Do you want to come with me? I sense power inside of you.

Shunomaru: ...You aren't Hakuyou...?

Tomoe: That's the school I am opposing... my enemy!!

Shunomaru: Enemy, huh... Sound fun. Okay, I'll do it.

End flashback...

Shunomaru: At that time... "I'll definitely beat Shirae!" ...that's what I thought...

::page::

Shunomaru: Why am I running!?

{sound f/x za: Shunomaru stopping suddenly}

{sound f/x nuo: Togetoge looming in the shadows}

{sound f/x don: Togetoge lunging forward}

Shunomaru: BUT I REALLY CAN'T DO ANYTHING BUT RUUUN!!

Shirae: Very good, Togetoge-kun... Just like that, guide him...

{sound f/x kata: Shirae typing}

Shirae:But still, it's so sad... In the past, you were such a gentle, good child, but then you picked a quarrel with me...

Shunomaru: Shut up!! I realized it the day that you were scouted!

::page::

Shunomaru: You looked at me and smiled, but inside of those eyes... you weren't laughing a bit!! Right... Those eyes were...

Flashback...

Shirae: I was scouted for that legendary academy... There, if my abilities bloom... I might be able to make the Cactus People that I've dreamed about... Shunomaru. Please look forward to it.

::page::

End flashback...

Shunomaru: Those eyes... they were eyes that looked at me just like I was a lab animal! YOU PLAN... TO TURN ME INTO A CACTUS PERSONNN!! And so... from that day on I became scared of you...!

Shirae: It's a misunderstanding. I wouldn't look at my cute little brother like a lab animal, right? Long ago... you always said that you loved cactuses, so I want to make you one with your beloved cactuses...

Shunomaru: THAT'S THE SAME THING!!

::page::

Shunomaru: I HAAAATE CACTUSES~~~~!!

{sound f/x no: Togetoge-kun looming in the background}

Shirae: Even though you say things like that... I know. That you's really so sweet to the little cacti I send you...

Shunomaru: Who's been saying that!!

Shirae: My ability is telepathy with plants. I hear about you and your daily life through telepathy with the little cacti...

Shunomaru: EEEEEEK~

(Scared.)

::page::

Shirae: ! Soon you'll be reaching the end coordinates.

Shunomaru: !? What's this...

{sound f/x koo: glowing light}

Shunomaru: This is...! It's the source of the power!

Shirae: Shunomaru... Anyway, would you mind jumping in there for me?

Shunomaru: MAKE ME!! ...er...

{sound f/x guoo: Togetoge-kun suddenly looming close by}

Shunomaru: NOWA~

{sound f/x ka: bright light}

::page::

Shirae: Huh...

{sound f/x on on: Togetoge pulsing with power}

Shunomaru: Wh... What's this!

Shirae: I've got it! This is... the collected form of all of the past data gathered about the treasure! Togetoge-kun doesn't have the memory capacity... this amount of vast data...

Shunomaru: !! Then, at this rate...

::page::

Shirae: If he explodes... it'll cause interference on the entire island's electrical machinery.

Shunomaru: ~THEN I'M IN TROUBLE!! ! ! If I run like this... at the very least Hakuyou and the lines directly connected to it will be really badly hit... Shirae will get damaged, too...

{sound f/x uon uon: Togetoge-kun's growing power}

::page::

Flashback...

Child Shunomaru: Hey, bro, cactuses are really cool huh!

Child Shirae: Huh...

Child Shunomaru: They live in a really hot desert and they have no water but they don't die. COOL COOL!

Child Shirae: Shunomaru, you really... like cactuses.

Child Shunomaru: Um!

::page::

End flashback...

Shunomaru: DAMMIIII—T~

{sound f/x ba: Togetoge-kun looming menacingly}

Shunomaru: I've got one chance... even if that damn cactus doesn't have enough information memory... My electric body can maybe absorb it... But... there's no guarantee that I'll get out in one piece.

::page::

{sound f/x ooo: Togetoge-kun looming even larger}

Shirae's Voice: You always said that you loved cactuses...

Shunomaru: Aniki...! [Aniki is another term for an older brother, formal and yet close at the same time.]

{sound f/x gu: Shunomaru making a fist}

Shunomaru: yo... YOU IDIOT———~

::page::

{sound f/x gogo: menacing sounding noises}

Shunomaru: NOWAAAAAA~

{sound f/x dobaba: Togetoge-kun exploding and raining down again}

Shirae: I made it in time. This is a vaccine to delete all of the information... It will also snap up Togetoge-kun, too, but that can't be helped.

Shunomaru: B... BUT WON'T IT EAT ME UP, TOO!!

::page::

Shunomaru: I knew it, he's just full of scary stuff~~~huh—~ STUPID ANIKI~~~~~~

Kokuyou Gakuen...

Shunomaru: U~~~~~~... n... [sigh]

Folt: Have you come to? Master.

::page::

Shunomaru: Folt...

Folt: You escaped by a hair... If I hadn't pulled you out when I did, what would you have done, Master... Trying it on your own without calling me in the first place, what were you thinking—?

Shunomaru: S... Sorry, Folt~~~

Hakuyou Gakuen...

Shirae: Somehow... you're fine aren't you, Shunomaru... [sigh] Now then...

::page::

Shirae: Who could have plotted such a thing...

{sound f/x pipi: loud beeping}

Shirae: ......! A trespasser worked on my computer...?

One: U~~m... But that was a pretty good feeling they got there, huh... For brothers, I thought they'd do a lot better than they did but... Tsuchii's gonna be mad at me again. Well... that's okay~!

Back with Shunomaru...

Shunomaru: [smiling brightly] Heey... Why don't you take 2 or 3 home with you, okay?

Seltis: [smiling brightly] Well, they look like they're cursed so NO WAY.

Battle 2 | Battle 3 | Battle 4