Gensou Academy

[Dormio Ergo Sum]

Shit, I'm supposed to finish writing an essay by tomorrow, and have to study for my genetics final the day after that.
I have not started the essay, and have done next to no study for the final.
The obvious solution? Spend a few hours writing this thing up, of course.

This is a currently unfinished crossover fanfiction between Touhou Project and Dangan Ronpa.
Though it's not so much a crossover as it is simply applying the Dangan Ronpa concept to Touhou Project characters. Whatever.
Enjoy. Or don't. It... it's not like I even care what you think anyway, idiot. I mean, I'd have to be a real fool to write this for your enjoyment.


4:48AM. That was the time displayed on the alarm clock.
"Oh jeez! Why today of all days?!"
If it had been any other day, she would have had no issue with sleeping in. But today was not any other day.
Of course, were she a more organized person, sleeping in would not be a major problem. But she was not an organized person.
Thrown across the bed and floor were various pieces of clothing, atop her desk a collection of nothing but the most useless trinkets, books and folders on a bookshelf in no meaningful order.
She had only just barely managed to get herself dressed in her new school uniform when a voice calling.
"If you aren't ready in the next five minutes, I'm leaving you behind!"
That voice belonged to no other than Keine Kamishirasawa, a teacher at Gensou Academy and a mother figure of sorts to the girl. And both of them knew that she was not one to make empty threats.
The girl quickly navigated through the mess that she called her room to a mirror. Through it, she could see that she was a mess.
Her uniform had been thrown on hapharzardly, the buttons weren't even lined up, and her blue and white hair simply refused to cooperate with her. If only she had ten, no five, more minutes she could at least make herself look presentable...
"Tokiko, one minute!"
Tokiko, who had been in the process of attempting to flatten her hair almost tripped as she heard Keine calling once more.
"Oh, fine! Whatever!"
She quickly ran to her desk and grabbed her most precious possession, her diary, and shoved it into her bag among various books and stationary. She had the foresight to prepare this much in advance, at the very least.
Tokiko then proceeded to fling her bag over her shoulders before running out of her room, through the main hallway, and to the main entrance where Keine was waiting.
Keine, dressed in a black suit with a matching briefcase, was quick to express her disapproval at Tokiko's attire.
"You're going to meet your classmates for the first time looking like that" A sigh followed.
Tokiko could do little more than shuffle uncomfortably. She had nobody but herself to blame for sleeping in, after all.
"Well, get in the car. It's almost time for you to start your first day at Gensou Academy."

Gensou Academy. A legendary school said to be able to turn any dream into reality.
A legendary school that accepted only students that excelled in various fields.
A legendary school that guaranteed a bright future for any graduate.
Located on a remote island off the coast of Gensoukyo, year after year this school produced the country's finest in every area imaginable.
She, Tokiko, a girl with no extraordinary skills had been accepted into such a school.
Tokiko had tried asking Keine about why someone such as herself would be accepted into this school, to which she was given the answer "luck".
Whilst one would normally be highly suspicious of getting into Gensou Academy through luck alone, one would also be a fool not to jump on such an opportunity. Which is precisely what Tokiko happened to do.

"Wake up and look sharp, we're here."
Keine's voice brought Tokiko back to her senses, it seemed that she had managed to fall asleep on the car ride.
She quickly stretched before exiting the vehicle to find herself standing at Gensoukyo's port.
There, she saw them, her fellow classmates standing in front of a small boat.
There were fifteen in total, each emitting an aura that was almost suffocating.
Was this the difference between a normal person and someone exceptional?
"What are you doing? Don't just stand there."
Keine had already walked straight through the group of extraordinary students and was talking to someone aboard the boat. Of course, Keine was also like them, an exceptional person.
"Everyone, we'll be leaving in half an hour. Got it? Half an hour. If you're not on board, you'll be left behind. Until then, feel free to talk amongst yourselves and make friends, you'll be in the same class for the next three years after all."
And, with that, Keine disappeared into the boat leaving Tokiko behind with these fifteen extraordinary students. She had, of course, done some research on her future classmates but that didn't make them any easier to approach.
She supposed that she might as well try talking to some of them...

Naturally, Tokiko sought out the most normal looking person first. This led her to a girl with long, blonde hair dressed in a uniform modified to only have the colors black and white.
"Yo! Marisa Kirisame here, ze! You?"
So this was the girl Marisa Kirisame, Super High School Level Thief. A master thief capable of being everywhere she wasn't meant to be.
For a thief, this girl was far more outgoing than Tokiko expected.
"Hey, you okay? You're spacing out, ze."
"Ah, sorry. I'm Tokiko, nice to meet you."
"Pleasure!"

Thinking that that wasn't too bad, Tokiko moved on to the next person. A lifeless person in contrast to the energetic Marisa with a large red ribbon in her hair.
"..."
"Hello, I'm Tokiko. Nice to meet you, and you are...?"
"..."
It seemed to Tokiko as though she didn't really want to talk.

Moving on, Tokiko approached a girl with short black hair that was furiously writing something down into a notebook.
Despite Tokiko approaching, the girl continued to jot something in her notebook. Assuming that she was busy, Tokiko turned to meet someone else when she heard the heavy clap of a book being shut.
"Hey there. Who might you be?"
Tokiko turned again to face the girl, who was now staring in her direction.
"Um... I'm Tokiko. Nice to meet you."
"I see, I see."
The girl opened up her notebook once more and after spinning her pen in hand a few times, went back to writing.
"Who are you?"
"Huh?"
The girl gave Tokiko an incredulous stare.
"Did you just ask who I am? Me, the great Aya Shameimaru?"
Aya Shameimaru... The Super High School Level Reporter. Her family had a monopoly on almost all the media of Gensoukyo and, whilst the wealth that came from this in itself was rather scary, her ability to gather information was not to be underestimated.
She seemed to be ranting about exposing the truth behind this society, and so Tokiko decided to meet another person.

As Tokiko backed away from the rambling Aya Shameimaru, she bumped into something rather solid.
"Oi, watch where yer going."
"Ah, sorry..."
Before Tokiko was an unusually tall and muscular woman.
"So who're you?"
"I-I'm Tokiko! Nice to meet you!"
She had no idea why she raised her voice, but it seemed to have a good effect on the muscled girl who began laughing.
"Hahaha! Full of energy! That's good Tokiko. I'm Yuugi. Yuugi Hoshiguma. Let's get along then."
Yuugi Hoshiguma, a Super High School Level Brawler. A legendary girl said to be able to throw men double her size great distances with ease.
With that build she certainly looked the part, and she had just survived an encounter with such a girl.

Not wanting to test her luck further, Tokiko simply said goodbye to the muscled girl and walked towards a pair of girls.
One had short, silver hair and, for some reason, was wearing a maid's headpiece. Tokiko assumed that this was the Super High School Level Maid, Sakuya Izayoi.
Under the employment of Remilia Scarlet, the woman that ruled Gensoukyo's darker side, she gave the impression of a cold and emotionless doll.
The other girl with her had long purple hair held back with a cresent hairclip. The two girls seemed to know each other, as they had been talking amongst each other the entire time.
"Hello, I'm Tokiko. Let's enjoy our time together..."
The silver haired girl gave Tokiko only a passing glance before she pulled out and began to wind a silver pocket watch.
The purple haired girl, on the other hand, was much more welcoming.
"Hello Tokiko. I am Patchouli Knowledge, and this is Sakuya Izayoi. I do hope that you have not deigned yourself worthy enough to be in our presence for extended periods of time."
... Relatively speaking, that is.
Patchouli Knowledge, a girl working at Gensoukyo's library, rumors say that she is able to memorize anything after having seen it once. Tokiko wondered how such a person knew Sakuya Izayoi.

Pushing such matters aside, Tokiko decided to speak with someone else and approached a pink haired girl that seemed to be purposely distancing herself from everyone else.
The girl appeared to be... meditating? She was sitting cross legged on the ground and had her eyes closed. More importantly, her right arm was completely covered by bandages.
Tokiko wondered if she should really disturb such a person, but decided that meeting everyone sooner rather than later would be the best course of action.
"Hello, I'm Tokiko. Nice to meet you."
The girl on the floor opened her eyes.
"And I must return the sentiment to you. It is very nice to meet you too, Tokiko. I am Kasen Ibaraki."
Kasen Ibaraki... A mysterious girl. Not much information about her existed outside of the fact that she seemed to always be travelling to some remote location alone.
For that reason, she was given the title of Super High School Level Hermit.
"Let's have fun together at school."
"Indeed, let us have an enjoyable school life."

With that, Tokiko left Kasen and introduced herself to the only girl wearing a blazer, despite the warm weather.
"Hi there, I'm Reisen. Reisen Udongein Inaba."
Reisen Udongein Inaba, the Super High School Level Nurse. Adopted at a young age by the medical genious Eirin Yagokoro, Reisen had been exposed to nothing but the medical world for the longest time.
As a result she became extremely proficient in various fields of medicine, particularly pharmacy. Even at a young age, she wrote many reputable medical papers and is currently working as a nurse at Gensoukyo's largest hospital.
"Let's all get along, okay?"

After that, Tokiko decided to approach the green haired girl with a frog ornament in her hair that was talking to a blue haired girl with a green cap.
As Tokiko approached, both of these girls gave Tokiko a smile, and the green haired girl gave her a small wave.
"Hello there, I am Sanae Kochiya. May I enquire so as to who you are?"
"Hey buddy, Nitori Kawashiro here. Do you like machines?"
"H-hello, I'm Tokiko. And I don't really know anything about machines..."
"Aww, that's too bad. Unless you want to know more about them. Do you want to know more about them?"
"M-maybe later."
"Now, now, Nitori, I do believe that your forward manner is scaring the poor girl."
Sanae Kochiya, a Super High School Level Celebrity, capturing the hearts of her fans she embodied the image of a pure and honest girl.
Nitori Kawashiro, a Super High School Level Mechanic, could fix anything and everything. In fact, she had set up a small project during middle school where she fixed various items to make a little money on the side which had somehow transformed into a large, multinational corporation.
The two of them seemed like rather friendly people, though the combination of those two particular people was not one that Tokiko had expected to find.

As Tokiko left the waving pair, she approached a girl with short, blonde hair. She made no attempt to hide her rather bored expression.
"Hi there, I'm Tokiko. Nice to meet you."
"Ran Yakumo. What do you do?"
"Huh? Um..."
Tokiko had no idea how to answer this question. Every single one of these people had some extraordinary ability. Even the person she was talking to now was a Super High School Level Mathematician, said to be able to solve any problem, she had used her ability to quickly amass a fortune at the stock market.
Despite having been recorded as having made millions, she supposedly lived a rather humble lifestyle. One has to wonder where all her money is going...
Perhaps Tokiko should have turned down the invitation to join this school, but it was far too late to have second thoughts now.
"Not saying, are we? Whatever."
It wasn't that she didn't want to tell her, but rather that she couldn't.
Whilst Tokiko was trying to think of a response, the girl had already walked off elsewhere.

Deciding not to pay much mind to such an unfriendly person, Tokiko walked towards another girl with short, straight, silver hair. She also appeared to be carrying... a sword case?
Tokiko wondered what a high school student would be doing with such a thing as she introduced herself to the girl.
"Hello, Tokiko, I am Youmu Konpaku."
Youmu Konpaku, the Super High School Level Gardener. She tends to the garden of Hakugyokurou by herself. No mean feat as the garden itself is the size of a small town, and has won multiple awards.
"I do hope that the garden will be properly cared for in my absence..."
"If you are in need of my assistance at any time, please do not hesistate to ask."

Tokiko then introduced herself to a girl with long black hair, tied into a ponytail with a green ribbon.
Or, at least, she tried to.
"Hello? Hello? I'm Tokiko! It's nice to meet you!"
"Huh?!"
The girl, who had been seemingly ignoring Tokiko up until now, appeared to have realized that Tokiko was there, talking to her.
"Hey, are you a magician? How'd you get this close to me without me noticing?"
It appeared as though this girl was not the most observant one of the bunch.
"Oh, I must have been dozing off again. Anyway, I'm Utsuho Reiuji, but you can just call me Okuu. Nice to meet you!"
Tokiko wondered how someone could manage to doze off while standing with their eyes open.
This was Utsuho Reiuji, a girl well versed in the field of physics. A Super High School Level Physicist, so to speak.
She was working with a leading research team in order to verify whether or not her theory for achieving cold fusion could work.
The potential implications of such a study being successful were more than enough to send Tokiko's mind spinning.

With that, Tokiko approached the last two girls, who appeared to be arguing with each other.
"Look here, goody two shoes. What does it matter to you what I do. I'll do whatever the hell I want, okay?"
These were the words spoken by the blue haired girl, with a rounded black hat.
"In order to have a successful school life, one must adhere to the rules and regulations of the school at all times. While you are wearing that uniform, you are representing not only yourself but the entire school. Do you wish to tarnish the reputation of this school by presenting yourself in such an unruly manner?"
From what she had already gathered Tokiko could tell that these two were Tenshi Hinanawi, a Super High School Level Delinquient, and Eiki Shiki, the Super High School Level Judge.
Tenshi Hinanawi, a girl famed for her inability to follow rules, wherever she went she could easily summon a horde of loyal followers willing to join her on her latest cause.
Eiki Shiki, on the other hand, the polar opposite. Reknowned for becoming the youngest person to begin practicing law, she had not a single blemish on any of her records.
Tokiko sighed, she supposed that it was natural for the two to fight. Unfortunately, they appeared to have noticed her.
"Hey! You there! Tell this nosy bitch that she should go mind her own business!"
"Pardon? Did I hear you correctly? Such language is absolutely unacceptable for a student of this school, nay, for anyone. Do you not agree?"
Tokiko had no idea how to respond with both Tenshi Hinanawi and Eiki Shiki staring at her...

[Dormio Ergo Sum]

"Everyone, it's time to go!"
Keine's amplified voiced echoed over the sixteen students.
"Hurry up before you're left behind!"
"Tch."
Tenshi Hinanawi clicked her tongue out of annoyance before making her way towards the boat.
Eiki Shiki looked equally displeased with the interruption as she began to board.
Tokiko herself gave a sigh of relief before she started walking towards the boat with the other students. She really needed to work on being more decisive in situations like that.

"It shouldn't take too long to reach Gensou Academy from here, but feel free to take a look around if you want."
Most were content to wait on the deck until they arrived at their destination, though a few decided head inside the boat for the trip.
Namely Sakuya Izayoi accompanying Patchouli Knowledge, who complained about seasickness, and Nitori Kawashiro, who complained about there being too much water splashing onto the deck.
Tokiko, on the other hand, decided to enjoy the trip for what it was worth and took a spot at the bow, feeling the wind against her face.
"Feels nice, doesn't it?"
"Yeah... sure does."
Tokiko froze. Since when had somebody been there beside her?
Tokiko quickly turned to see a girl with a large red ribbon in her hair standing by her side, enjoying the breeze just as she was.
"Reimu Hakurei. Nice to meet you."
"I'm Tokiko. Nice to meet you, too."
"..."
It seemed as though the girl had decided to simply close her eyes as the boat continued forward and, with that, their conversation seemed to have come to a stop.
Reimu Hakurei. Tokiko had not seen this name before, the one student that Tokiko could not find any information on. Other than herself, of course.
Did that mean that this girl was just like her? That this girl had no extraordinary abilities either?

After some time passed, the outline of a magnificent building entered Tokiko's view.
This was Gensou Academy, the legendary school that produced only the best of the best.
The boat continued forward, towards the docks.
"We're almost there... what's wrong?"
Tokiko looked to see a frown on Reimu Hakurei's face.
"Something doesn't feel right."
"What are you talking about?"
The boat continued forward, towards the docks.
"Hey, why aren't we slowing down?"
Tokiko began to panic. A quick glance at everyone else on the deck revealed many nervous faces.
What was going on here? If they continued at this speed, the boat would surely crash into-

The following scene was like one of those that Tokiko had seen many times in the movies.
First, there was the sickening sound of metal scraping and tearing into metal mixed with various screams filling the air.
Then, there was the vibrations shaking Tokiko to the core. It took all that she had to simply hold onto the railings to stop herself from being thrown off the boat.
Finally, there was the dreaded feeling that something terrible had happened. Something far, far worse than the boat crashing into the port...
All of these feelings overwhelmed Tokiko and, as soon as the boat came to a stop, she simply collapsed.

...
......
.........
"Where is that first aid kit I asked for! There's got to be one somewhere on this ship!"
Tokiko blinked a few times before sitting up and looking around. She saw several people standing around in various states of shock while the Reisen girl issued orders.
Upon seeing Tokiko sitting up, Reisen quickly walked over to her side.
"Are you alright? Does it hurt anywhere? Do you feel nauseous, headache?"
Tokiko slowly shook her head.
"What... what happened?"
"The boat crashed. It doesn't seem like anybody was hurt too badly though, fortunately. Just take it easy and rest for now. We've already sent someone to get help from the school."
"I... I see..."
She remembered. For some reason, the boat hadn't slowed down and ended up crashing into the port.
It was a relief that nobody was hurt... But why couldn't she shake the feeling that that was wrong, that somebody had been hurt?
"Let... let me help too."
"No. You just wait there and rest."
"I feel fine, let me do something too..."
Reisen sighed. She knew the stubborn type all too well.
"Alright, fine. Go look for the black and white girl. Marisa was her name, I think. Find out what's happening with that first aid kit."

As Tokiko made her way into the boat, she couldn't help but take a quick look at how everyone was.
Reisen seemed fine, as did Kasen, Tenshi, and Utsuho. The four of them appeared to be running around the most, trying to help everyone else.
Reimu was sitting up against the railing. She looked quite similar to how she did before everyone had boarded the boat.
Aya was sitting close to Reimu, once again writing something into her notebook. Was she detailing this accident?
Sanae, Youmu and Eiki were sitting together, talking about something that Tokiko couldn't make out.
Ran was leaning against the railing, staring in the direction of the school.
Yuugi, Patchouli, Sakuya, Nitori and Marisa were nowhere to be seen.

The inside of the boat was a complete mess, everything had been knocked over.
Whilst searching for Marisa, Tokiko passed what she assumed was once the dining hall. Inside, she saw Nitori walking around.
"Hey, are you alright?"
"Yeah, peachy. Just looking for some stuff I dropped. What about you, buddy?"
"Fine here. If you need help, everyone is doing what they can on the deck."
"Got it."
Nitori gave Tokiko a thumbs up before continuing to walk around the dining hall searching for something.

As Tokiko progressed further into the boat, she came across Sakuya and Patchouli.
They appeared to have made a makeshift bed of sorts on which Patchouli was resting.
"Are you two okay?"
Despite their less than friendly introduction earlier, Tokiko felt the need to at least check on them.
"Yes, we are fine. Thank you for your concern."
"Okay..."
Though it looked as though Patchouli was breathing rather heavily, Tokiko had yet to find Marisa.

Tokiko continued forward, until she saw Marisa's distinct black and white uniform. She seemed to be staring into... the captain's quarters? Wasn't that where Keine was?
"Hey, they're looking for you up there. You were supposed to bring back a first aid..."
Tokiko stopped talking as soon as she saw Marisa's pale face.
"What's wrong...?"
"Don't look inside..."
Every instinct told her to listen to Marisa and to avoid looking in that room, but Tokiko could not hold back her curiousity.

A scream spread throughout the boat as Tokiko looked upon the body of Keine Kamishirasawa.

PROLOGUE END - WELCOME TO GENSOU ACADEMY -

[Dormio Ergo Sum]

Keine Kamishirasawa. A genius that had dedicated herself to studying the past and gleaning from it lessons for the future.
An extraordinary person, just like the students that attended Gensou Academy, she was at the forefront of any major discovery in the field of history.
And, most importantly, this was the person that had given Tokiko a home.
Given that such a person was now slumped in a chair before her eyes, blood pooling on the ground below her, it was natural for Tokiko to scream.

CHAPTER ONE - THE SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL STUDENTS OF HOPE -

The following events were a blur to Tokiko, the only image that registered in her mind was that of Keine's lifeless body.
Her scream attracted all of the students, who were all visibly shocked at the sight of their dead teacher.
"That's..."
"Horrible..."
"Move out of the way."
A commanding voice came from the back of the crowd of students. The students promptly complied, allowing Reisen to approach the body.
Tokiko wanted to protest. She wanted Keine's body to be left alone. She didn't want anybody touching her Keine. She didn't want her fears to be confirmed. But her body would not move and her voice would not work.
She could do nothing but watch helplessly as Reisen began to investigate Keine's body.
The students stood there in silence as Reisen went about her work until she straightened herself up.
"This person is, without a doubt, dead. Most likely due to injuries from the boat crash."
At this point, it was all too much for Tokiko, who fell onto her knees broke down into tears.

Reisen simply grimaced and looked away, despite all her knowledge, there was nothing she could do for the dead.

Nitori and Sanae made their way to Tokiko's side and tried to console Tokiko to the best of their ability.
"Hang tight, buddy. I guess the two of you knew each other, since you arrived together and all..."
"... There, there... Let it all out..."

Kasen had her eyes closed and, with her hands together, appeared to be praying.

A few people, including Utsuho, Youmu, Marisa, and Tenshi were staring at the body in varying states of shock.
"Hey. Hey! What the fuck is this?!"

Ran, Eiki, Patchouli and Sakuya, on the other hand, were calmly looking around, observing each of their peers.

Aya, though her face was paler than usual, continued to scribble something into her notebook. She took a single step towards the body when Reimu approached her.
"Don't you think there's a better time for that?"
"The situation doesn't matter, information is always useful."

The students remained this way for a while, until the booming voice of Yuugi Hoshiguma interrupted them.
"Oi! Where's everyone at?! I found something really fishy!"

"Ms. Hoshiguma should be informed of the situation at hand, should she not?"
Everyone was surprised to hear Kasen, who seemed to have finished her prayer, speaking.
"I... guess so."
Tenshi was the first to respond.
"Then let us leave this place, I do not think that it will do us any good to remain here."
"Come on, buddy, looks like it's time to go."
"It appears as though she is not listening."
Nitori let out a loud sigh.
"Well you can't mope forever."

"Hey, what's with all yer gloomy faces?"
Yuugi looked rather perplexed as she saw the students walking back onto the deck.
Reisen quickly responded.
"Our teacher, she passed away."
"What? Did I hear ya right? Dead?"
Reisen nodded.
Yuugi's expression darkened.
"Guess this makes more sense then."
Yuugi held out a neatly folded piece of paper.
"Found this stuck onto the doors of the school. Took a quick look inside while I was at it, nobody there."
The students huddled together as they gathered to read the note.

First and foremost, allow me to welcome you to Gensou Academy.
I hope you bastards enjoyed the trip here as much as your teacher did.
After all, the sixteen of you are the hope of the world.
Outrageous, isn't it, to think that a bunch of kids like you could possibly change the world?
I'm sure you bastards are confused so make your way to the auditorium, located at the back of the school, if you want an explanation.

Tenshi marched her way up to Yuugi before grabbing her shirt by the collar.
"Hey, what the fuck are you trying to pull here? Don't screw with me!"
"Oi, I'm not doing anything. If ya wanna fight though, I'll take you on."

"That's enough from both of you."
Aya's voice was accompanied by the sound of her notebook being snapped shut.
"I'm going to this auditorium. There's no point in wasting my time here with you. The truth won't find itself, you know."

"I'm going too."
This time, it was Ran speaking.
"It's precisely as that girl said. There is no point in wasting time here."

"I, too, shall be taking my leave."
Eiki slowly followed behind Aya and Ran, heading towards the school.

"... I don't like this."
With those words, Reimu walked off in the direction of the school.

"I do wonder what 'as much as your teacher did' is supposed to mean..."
Appearing to be lost in thought, Utsuho absentmindedly began heading in the direction of the school.

Tokiko noticed that one of the girls at her side, Nitori, was fidgeting quite a bit. Sanae seemed to have noticed as well.
"Go. I shall remain with this one. Do not worry, we will be with you shortly."
"Heh, sorry about this."
Nitori began running after the other students, though turned her body around enough so that she could give Sanae and Tokiko a wave as she ran.
"Hang in there, buddy!"

And, with that, Tokiko was left with Sanae, Tenshi, Yuugi, Marisa, Youmu, Reisen, Sakuya, Patchouli, and Kas-
Now that she was actually paying attention, Tokiko noticed that Kasen had also disappeared. When did she even leave?

Tokiko wondered, how could all these people simply ignore Keine's death like that?
Was it because they were all Super High School Level students? Were they someone incapable of feeling emotion when somebody had died?
If so, Tokiko hated these people. If they thought nothing of death, perhaps they all deserved it themselves.
However, before Tokiko's mind could continue on a dangerous path, they were interrupted by Sanae's voice.
"I understand that you may not wish to speak at this moment, and that Nitori asked you the same question earlier, but did you know our teacher?"
Tokiko simply nodded.
"I see... You have my deepest sympathies. She was a great person, was she not? She had to have been if she were to be our teacher."
Tokiko nodded once more.
"I am certain of it. However, I must ask you another question, would such a person wish to see you crying as you are? I do not think this to be the case. I am sure that she would enjoy seeing your smiling face infinitely more than one filled with tears. Do you not agree?"
"I... Yes..."
"Then you must be strong. Not only for yourself, but for our teacher as well."
"You're... You're right. Keine would probably yell at me if she saw me like this..."
"If you are ever in need of a shoulder to lean on, do not hesitate to come to me."
With a new resolution made, Tokiko decided to try talking to the others. Perhaps hearing their perspectives could help her to calm down.

The first person Tokiko approached was Tenshi Hinanawi, who was still glaring at Yuugi. Fortunately, it didn't seem as though an actual fight would break out between the two.
"Argh! Just what the hell is going on here!"
Tenshi pulled on her hair in frustration, stopping when she noticed Tokiko standing behind her.
"Ah... Hey. We never had a proper introduction, did we? I'm Tenshi. Tenshi Hinanawi."
"Tokiko."
"Tokiko, I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but overhear your conversation... It's... well, shit. I know a lot of people that have lost those close to them. If you ever feel lonely, you can come to me."
"Thank you for the offer..."
"I guess I'm going to head to the school myself now. Remember, if you want to talk, I'll listen."
With that, Tenshi began walking towards th school.

Feeling a bit better, Tokiko began talking to Yuugi, who was watching Tenshi leave.
"Loss is always a hard thing to deal with. There're lots of people out there that'll look down on you or call ya weak for mourning. But weakness ain't got nothing to do with it. If you've got to cry, then you cry. Just make sure that when yer done, you enjoy life enough for the both of ya."
"Thanks..."
"Ain't no need for thanks, not like I did anything. Anyway, I'm going to see what's at the school myself now. See ya soon."
With the conversation finished, Yuugi headed off in the direction of the school.

Next, Tokiko approached Marisa, who still looked a bit pale.
"Heh... That's one way to start your new school life with a bang..."
"Yeah..."
"Well, no point dwelling on it. People like us, we gotta keep moving forward, ze! Yeah, it's decided! I'm checking out what's at the school!"
As Tokiko watched Marisa run towards the school, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was trying to convince herself more so than Tokiko.

Tokiko then made her way to Youmu, who was clutching her sword case tightly. She was shaking rather visibly.
"Hey, was that your first time seeing a corpse too...?"
Tokiko nodded.
"It's... different to what you see in the movies, isn't it...? What do the animals see when we slaughter them for meat...? I wonder if plants see the same kind of scene when we kill them..."
Tokiko got the feeling that this girl needed more help than she did.

As Tokiko left Youmu, she was approached by Reisen.
"I also overheard you talking about our teacher... I'm so sorry... If only I hadn't wasted so much time up here... If I had gotten there just a little bit sooner, I might have been able to-!"
Tokiko noticed that Reisen was biting her lip, to the point where a small amount of blood was beginning to trickle down her mouth.
"Please... Don't blame yourself... It's not your fault..."
"I'm sorry... I think I need some time to think."
After saying those words, Reisen began walking towards the school.

Finally, Tokiko walked over to where Patchouli and Sakuya were standing.
Sakuya continued to wind her pocketwatch, not paying any attention to Tokiko. Patchouli, on the other hand, was much more welcoming.
"I do not believe that I have given you permission to be in our presence."
... Relatively speaking, that is.
"If you do not have any explicit business with us, then please lea-"
Her words were interrupted by a loud series of coughs.
"Please ma'am, do not overexert yourself."
For the first time, Tokiko was hearing Sakuya speak. And she was slightly confused by her choice of words. 'Ma'am'? Weren't they the same age?
"Let us head into the school, ma'am. I am sure that there are suitable facilities there."
In between several coughs, Patchouli managed to respond.
"Yes... Let's..."
Tokiko watched as Patchouli slowly walked towards the school, leaning on Sakuya for support.

Tokiko looked around to see that only she, Sanae, and Youmu were left.
Sanae seemed to be talking with Youmu, and so Tokiko decided that it was probably time for her to head to the school herself.
Just as the note said, she was confused and the auditorium was likely where she was going to get some answers...

[Dormio Ergo Sum]

Gensou Academy, supposedly a symbol of hope for every student that was enrolled into its curriculum, gave Tokiko nothing but a feeling of dread as she passed through its doors.
Once inside, Tokiko slowly made her way through the school, noting that the stairs to the upper floors had been cordoned off. In addition to this, there were cameras set up throughout the school. Was security really a problem is a school like this?
As Yuugi had mentioned before, it seemed as though nobody else was here.
Tokiko continued through the school's corridors until she reached the auditorium.
Inside, she found thirteen of her peers waiting, each of them eying a large screen that had been set up on the stage.
Tokiko took this time to look around the auditorium. Naturally, centered at the far end of the room was a large stage with a large screen.
It seemed as though the seats of the auditorium had been removed, giving it the appearance of a large hall instead.
Standing around the center of the room were Aya, Nitori, Yuugi, Tenshi, Reisen, Eiki, Utsuho, Marisa, and Reimu.
Off slightly to the left of the group was Kasen. To the right, Ran.
In a corner of the room were Sakuya and Patchouli.

As Tokiko was looking around, she heard the sound of a door opening and closing behind her. A quick look revealed that the sound was caused by Youmu and Sanae entering the auditorium.
Upon their entry, static filled the previously blank screen, which immediately drew the attention of everyone in the room.
"Ahem. Testing. Testing. You bastards can hear me, right? Good. First and foremost, as your acting principal, let me welcome you all to Gensou Academy! What happened to your teacher is a real pity, but let's not let that stop you from enjoying your school life!"
From the screen, which was still filled with static, came a distorted and unusually cheery voice.
"I'm sure you're all excited and ready to fill your heads with knowledge but I have an announcement for you bastards first! Your curriculum has been scrapped. Gone! Instead, you're all going to live a communal lifestyle within these school walls for the rest of your lives."
With that, the static on the screen was replaced by an overhead image of the island that the school was on. The wreckage from the boat crash was clearly visible on this image.
"That's right, as of this moment, this is your entire world. Have fun!"
And, just like that, the screen went black and silence filled the room.

"What... was that just now?"
Youmu's trembling voice spread throughout the auditorium.
"That was... a joke. Right? It had to be..."
"How rude of you. I would never tell a lie."
Once more, the screen turned on.
"You bastards are going to live out the rest of your lives in this school. Isn't that great? You'll be free from all responsibility. All you need to do is eat, sleep, play, and die! Just as long as you follow a few rules, of course."
"That can't be... Surely there must be a way..."
"Nope! There's no way off this island. I made sure of that myself. On top of that, help won't be coming, so don't bother getting your hopes up on that front."
"No way..."

"What are these rules?"
Aya stopped writing down notes to ask this question.
"Glad you asked!"
The static on the screen was replaced again, this time by a list of rules.

• Violence against any members of the school staff is strictly prohibited.
• Vandalism of school property will not be tolerated.
• You may explore any part of the school as you wish, with the exception of areas that have been cordoned off. Anyone caught trespassing will be punished.
• Night time will fall between 10PM and 7AM. Some areas will become off limits during night time.
• Any student caught sleeping voluntarily outside of the dormitory area will be punished.
• You will be living a communal lifestyle within this school for an indefinite period of time.
• A student may only leave the school once he, or she, graduates.

• In order to graduate, a student must kill another student without being caught.

"Why are you doing this?"
This time, it was Reimu speaking.
"Why? Why does it matter why? You shouldn't worry about such things. Just focus on having a comfortable school life. Though, I guess if you really wanted to get out, you could always graduate."
"..."
"Well, I think I've said enough. Make sure to enjoy your school life!"
And so the screen went black once more.
Graduation... Tokiko had definitely seen the ridiculous rules surrounding graduation on the screen. Kill each other? Nobody would do such a thing... right?

Unsure what to make of the events that had just occurred, Tokiko wondered if talking to everyone would help her organize her thoughts.
First, she decided to talk to Youmu.
"That... can't be true... Help has got to be coming... Right?"
"Probably..."
"Yeah... We couldn't possibly be abandoned here..."
Tokiko got the feeling that talking to Youmu wouldn't help much.

Tokiko decided to approach Aya instead, who was tapping her pen against her head.
"I just don't get it!"
Tokiko was surprised by Aya's outburst.
"How could this have happened under my watch?!"
"Um..."
"Is this how they plan on hiding the truth? By trapping me on an island? They'll have to do better than that if they want to stop the great Aya Shameimaru!"
It didn't really seem as though Aya would be listening to anyone else for some time.

Leaving Aya alone, Tokiko turned towards Reimu, who had a frown on her face.
"..."
Tokiko wondered if she should leave her alone.
"Ah, Tokiko. What did you make of that?"
"It was... probably a joke, right?"
"If that's what you think."
It didn't seem like Reimu would be saying much more.

Tokiko approached Yuugi, who seemed to be at a loss for words.
"Oi... That just ain't right... What're we even supposed to do here?"
"I don't know..."
"Well, if ya don't know what to do, you've just gotta beat everything in your path 'til something gives!"
"... Please don't."

Tokiko decided to talk to Tenshi instead, who had a rather angry look on her face.
"Who the fuck do they think they are?! They can't just tell me what to do!"
"I think you should calm down first..."
"Screw that! This is clearly bullshit and I will not stand for it!"

Tokiko decided to leave Tenshi to her own devices for now and walked up to Reisen.
"It seems we've found ourselves in a troublesome situation, to say the least."
"Yeah, really..."
"I do wonder how they intend to stop help from reaching us, considering our identities."
That brought up an interesting point. Considering that each and every one of these students, barring Tokiko herself, were reknowned figures in their respective fields, for all of them to suddenly be disconnected from society would certainly raise a lot of questions.
On top of that, what had happened to the other students and staff at the school?

Thinking about these things, Tokiko shifted her focus to Nitori, who was staring blankly at the screen.
"Hey, buddy."
"Yeah?"
"What just happened?"
"I don't really know myself..."
"Just what was up with those rules..."
"The last rule, in particular, is a cause for concern."
Eiki had joined their conversation at some point.
A student can only leave if they graduate. And to graduate involved killing another student. Tokiko didn't really want to think about the topic.

Instead, she walked away from Nitori and Eiki and began talking to Marisa.
"It just keeps coming one after another, huh? Glad to see you're looking better, ze."
"Thanks."
"Yep! Keep a gloomy expression like the one you had before and you'll never get a guy."
"E-eh?!"
"Just kidding! Still..."
"Did you say something?"
"Hmm? Nah. Nothing."
"Okay then..."

As Tokiko walked away from Marisa, she accidentally bumped into Utsuho, who promptly tripped and fell onto the floor.
"Unyu!"
"Ah! I'm sorry!"
Tokiko offered a hand to Utsuho, who took it as she picked herself up and brushed herself off.
"Don't worry about it, I do the same thing all the time."
This girl walks into people all the time?
"That was quite the spectacle, huh?"
"It really was."
Utsuho then proceeded to yawn loudly and stretch.
"I'm so tired... I just want to go to sleep..."
"I don't think this is really the time to-"
Tokiko noticed that the girl's eyes were closed. Was she really sleeping? Tokiko didn't know whether to be impressed or unnerved by this.

Sanae was the next person that Tokiko tried talking to.
"Did it really say that we were free here? That we could live without responsibility?"
"I think so... Why?"
"No reason in particular. I do wish to think about something though..."

Tokiko decided to approach Kasen next, who had a worried look on her face.
"..."
"It's really troubling, isn't it...? Those rules..."
"Indeed. To be confined to the boundaries of this school and this island. It is far too small an area for myself to explore."
That was the part of the rules that worried her? Tokiko supposed that she should have expected as much from a Super High School Level Hermit.

"This seems like a fun game."
Those were the words Tokiko heard as she approached Ran.
"Oh? If it isn't the talentless Tokiko."
"Do you really have to add 'talentless'...?"
"Do you have an issue with that?"
"Of course I d-"
Compared to everyone else in the room, Tokiko truly was a talentless figure. With that in mind, Tokiko didn't know how to respond.
"..."
"Hmph. How boring."
Ran looked away, it seemed that she was no longer interested in talking.

Finally, Tokiko approached Sakuya and Patchouli.
Sakuya seemed completely disinterested, instead checking to ensure that her own appearance was without flaw. Patchouli, at least, was much more welcoming.
"Why must you insist on continuously bothering us with your presence?"
... Relatively speaking, that is.
"Um... I was just curious. Why does she call you 'ma'am'?"
"That is of no concern to you. If you have nothing interesting to say, then leave."

Tokiko really didn't have much to say, so she decided to join the main group of students once more.
Just what was going on at Gensou Academy? Where was everyone else? Who was the person behind the screen? Killing each other?
All of these thoughts circled around Tokiko's head as she tried to make sense of the day's events so far...

[Conqueror]

posting so this shows up in my unread topics
list of people the mastermind is definitely not: youmu, aya, tokiko, tenshi, nitori, sanae, kasen
probably not the mastermind: reimu, yuugi, reisen, ran
top picks for possible masterminds: Eiki, Utsuho, Marisa, Patchouli, Sakuya
too easy

[Dormio Ergo Sum]

"Should we not be deciding on a course of action to take?"
Eiki was the first to speak in this situation.
"Ain't it obvious? We find whoever did this and make 'em sorry they ever tried to threaten us!"
A frank response from Yuugi, to which Nitori responded.
"I get the feeling that's easier said than done..."
"I do not believe that we will be accomplishing without first coming to an understanding in regards to our situation."
"I agree..."
This time, it was Sanae and Reisen speaking.
"... After that crash, it is likely to be true that we have no means of leaving the island for now. What we should do is get a proper assessment of our situation. Someone with a phone should call for help. The rest of us should look around for anything useful, we don't know how long we could be here for, after all."
"Hey, who made you the boss?"
Tenshi spoke up in response to Reisen's orders.
"Do you have any better ideas?"
"Erk..."

With that, it was decided that each of them would perform their own investigations of the school.
They were all to return to the auditorium in three hours with whatever they had managed to find.
Tokiko remained in the auditorium while she tried to contact someone for help, though she had no idea who she could call.
She tried dialling emergency services, but heard nothing but static when she brought her phone to her ear. In addition to this, she had no access to the internet from the school.
"Have you had any luck in contacting help?"
Sanae asked Tokiko with a hopeful voice.
"None."
"Hmm... I do wonder if there was some truth in our kidnapper's words."
"Kidnapper?!"
"If someone truly has trapped us within this school, that would mean that we have been abducted, would it not? Therefore, whoever has done this would be a kidnapper."
"I... I see..."
"Regardless, there is little for us to do until we have more information. I do wonder where Nitori has gotten herself to..."
Tokiko agreed with those words, that they needed more information, and so Tokiko decided to take a look around herself.

First, Tokiko wanted to try talking everyone else that remained in the auditorium, starting with Utsuho who seemed to be awake once more.
"Unyuuuu~! Good morning Tokiko."
"It's not really morning anymore."
"Huh, it isn't? Oh, right, a bunch of stuff happened... That's annoying..."
Tokiko couldn't help but wonder again about how someone like this could become a leader in the field of physics. Still, Tokiko thought that she should ask her if she had discovered anything.
"Mmm... Not really. I've been thinking about something..."
"Thinking about something?"
"A little something about my work. It's really boring, so forget I mentioned it."
"If you say so..."
"Sorry, that was probably pretty awkward. It's just that I could be in a bit of trouble if I don't get back to work soon..."
"I'm sure that this will be over soon enough."
"Yeah, you're right. There's no way someone could keep us here, after all."
With that said, their conversation seemed to have come to a close.

Tokiko wondered if Reimu had anything to say.
"Ugh... I don't like this one bit."
"I don't think any of us do..."
"Did you manage to contact help?"
"No..."
Reimu frowned before walking off.

Tokiko wondered what that was all about before approaching the two remaining people in the auditorium, Sakuya and Patchouli.
"Just who do they think they are?! Trapped on this island?! If Remi ever heard about this-"
"Please, ma'am, calm down. Such behaviour is unsightly."
"You know as well as I do that we-"
Patchouli immediately stopped as she saw Tokiko approaching.
"You again. What do you want this time?"
"Well, I was just wondering if you had managed to find anything..."
"Of course not."
"Right. Um... I guess I'll leave you two alone..."
"Good. It seems that you are finally learning your place."
Tokiko wondered if there would ever be a time when she could have an actual conversation with the two.

Deciding that there wasn't much more to see in the Auditorium, Tokiko took her leave and began to walk through the school's corridors.
The first room she came across appeared to be a cafeteria. Inside, she could see Nitori examining the various tables and chairs.
"Hey there, buddy. Doesn't look like there's anything special about this place. There's a kitchen back there that Youmu and Kasen went to check out."
"Got it, thanks."
"No problem. How'd the calls go?"
Tokiko shook her head.
"I see... Well, I'm sure everything will work out somehow."

Tokiko continued through the cafeteria until she entered the kitchen, where she saw Kasen talking with Youmu.
"What are the two of you doing?"
"Greetings, Tokiko. We are currently discussing the fact that this kitchen appears to be extremely well stocked, with enough food to last for several days."
"There is a lot of equipment here, and no shortage of ingredients to cook with them..."
"On top of that, we'll make sure to restock everything you bastards eat twice a week."
Tokiko and Youmu both jumped as they heard the distorted voice while Kasen looked around for the source of the voice, eventually pointing to a speaker in the corner of the room.
"Though, for that reason, the cafeteria and kitchen will be one of the places you bastards aren't allowed to look around in during night time. That's all from me."
It seemed as though food was not something that they would have to worry about, though the voice's claim made Tokiko uneasy.
Were they serious about keeping them here for the rest of their lives? It seemed that they had the food issue sorted already...

After investigating the cafeteria and kitchen, Tokiko returned to the school's corridors.
As she walked through them she noticed Aya standing in front of what appeared to be a lift and stairwell, cordoned off with tape reading "DO NOT CROSS".
"Suspicious, isn't it? Want to see where it goes?"
"I thought the rules said that we weren't allowed to go into places like this."
Tokiko pointed out the tape to Aya.
"That is correct."
Again, the voice filled the corridor.
"I can't keep track of you bastards if you go anywhere you please whenever you want. Oh, and so that you can't say that I didn't warn you, the punishment for breaking the rules is death! So make sure that you follow the rules while living out your communal lifestyle!"
Aya scratched her head as she looked at the lift.
"Well that's no good. How are we supposed to find anything if we're limited to wherever they want us to go?"
Aya seemed to be lost in thought, continuously jotting down notes in her notebook.

Tokiko decided to leave her for the time being and continued through the school until she came across the classroom labelled 1-B.
Inside, she saw a regular classroom with Marisa inside. On the blackboard was the message "Welcome to Gensou Academy!"
"Yo, Tokiko! How'd the call go?"
"Not very well..."
"Huh... Well, it'll probably be fine. There isn't much to look at here either. All the desks are empty."
"I see..."
"Got to keep looking in case I missed something though."
"Good luck then."

Tokiko left Marisa to continue searching and tried entering the adjacent classroom, 1-A.
Inside was Ran. The classroom itself looked almost identical to the previous one, with even the same message written across the board.
"Did you manage to find anything in here?"
"No. Were you expecting me to when I don't know we're looking for?"
"Um..."
"Whatever. It's not as though I was expecting you to have any clue about what you were doing."
Tokiko wondered if that was really necessary.

Tokiko decided to leave Ran alone and continued to walk through the school until she came across a corridor leading to a rather large door.
Through the doors, Tokiko found herself in a large corridor with Eiki.
"What's this place?"
"From what I have gathered, this the school's dormitory. There are sixteen rooms in total, and I have found these keys outside each of the room."
Eiki displayed the multitude of keys in her hands to Tokiko.
"According to the rules that we were given, it seems that this is where we must sleep. I shall continue investigating this area for the time being, please call me if I am required elsewhere."
"I'll do that."

With that, Tokiko left the dormitory area to continue searching through the school.
As she began to approach the entrance, Tokiko noticed a door with a red cross on it.
Tokiko decided to take a look inside and saw a room filled with cabinets, shelves, and cupboards. There was also what appeared to be a small freezer, a desk, a chair, and a small bed.
Reisen was sitting on the chair, examining the contents of a brown coloured bottle.
"Ah, Tokiko, what brings you here?"
Reisen placed the bottle on the desk.
"I was just taking a look around the school for myself. Is this the sick bay?"
"Looks that way. Though it is unusually well equipped..."
Reisen held up the bottle that she had just placed on the desk.
"For example, this. This is ergot. It's used by some to treat some uncommon disorders and diseases, but side effects can include hallucinations, nausea, seizures, or even death. What's this even doing in a sick bay?"
"That... doesn't sound good."
"It isn't. I'm going to be checking the rest of this room for anything else that could be dangerous."
"Yeah, that's probably a good idea..."

Tokiko decided to leave Reisen in the sick bay, she didn't know much about medicine after all.
Tokiko continued through the school until she finally had returned to the entrance, where Yuugi and Tenshi were both staring at the main door.
"What's wrong?"
"The exit is locked."
"The exits locked."
The two of them replied in unison.
"What do ya say we break the door down?"
"Sounds good to me."
"Wait!"
Tokiko's yell stopped the pair before their feet reached the doors. Tenshi turned to look at Tokiko with an annoyed expression while Yuugi had a more curious look.
"What's your problem?"
"The punishment for vandalism is death..."
"What?"
"The voice said that if anyone were to break the rules, they'd be killed..."
"When did it say anything like that?"
"When Aya was thinking about heading into the lift, the voice came through the PA and told us that..."
"So yer telling us that if we break down this door, we'll die?"
"I think so..."
"We just don't get a break in this place, do we?"
"Until we know what's going on, I guess we'll have to listen to that for now."
Tenshi sighed.
"This sucks. This really fucking sucks."

With that, it was time for everyone to gather in the auditorium once more to collate what they had found.
Tokiko wondered if anything they had found so far would really help them...

[Ikari]

This certainly is an interesting story.

The whole person-by-person sequences are somewhat off-putting at first, but after a while, as the story expands, it becomes interesting and allows us to see the story from different angles.

Anyway, I'm excited to see where it'll lead.

[marukyuu]

I'm impressed. This is a well written, well paced story.
I like your take on the characters, even though some feel somewhat off - for instance, I remember Nitori to be very shy in canon, but I might be wrong :V

The whole person-by-person sequences are somewhat off-putting at first, but after a while, as the story expands, it becomes interesting and allows us to see the story from different angles.

Agreed. It reminds me of the "talk to everyone to advance plot" mechanic of some videogames, visual novels in particular.
The way it's been pulled off is another thing I like. As a personal preference I'd rather read short, straight to the point dialogues than endless walls of  :wikipedia:

I'll be following this.

[Dormio Ergo Sum]

"So, to sum what we have discovered thus far..."
Once everyone had gathered in the auditorium, the group had quickly gone over what they had found. Shikieiki was now summing up the key points.
"... There is a dormitory with sixteen rooms available. Each of these rooms are numbered one through sixteen and have a corresponding key with which they can be locked. The keys are in my possession and I will be distributing them shortly. The school has both a lift and a stairwell, though our access to both of these are limited. In addition, the exit has been locked. It seems that there is no need for us to worry about food, as the kitchen is well stocked. The two classrooms and cafeteria do not appear to contain anything of note. The sick bay contains some dangerous medicines, Reisen has agreed to keep watch over these and Utsuho has volunteered to help. It seems that we are currently unable to contact the outside world and so will simply be forced to wait until help arrives."
"How can you be so sure that help will come? What if we really are trapped here?"
Youmu was the one to voice the thought that undoubtedly ran through each of their minds.
"We're gonna be fine, I'm sure of it!"
Nitori was the first to respond.
"But how do you know that?"
"Well, just think about who we are. We're meant to be the best of the best, right? There's no way the world can ignore us going missing. I give it a few days tops before they come looking, then it'll all be over."
"I guess... that makes sense..."
"Don't give me that crap! What if some of us don't have the time to sit around here?"
"What is it that you suggest that we do, then?"
Tenshi spoke up in protest, with Sanae arguing against her.
"I don't know! Something, anything! How about we just kick the damn door down and get out of here ourselves?"
"Do you truly wish to stake your life on undertaking such an endeavour? Would it not be better to simply wait?"
"... Tch."
Tenshi looked away with disgust on her face.

"Since we can't do much else right now we might as well get to know each other some more until help arrives, right?"
That was the suggestion that Reisen had made, and the reason why Tokiko was with the others in the cafeteria.
With Youmu and Sakuya cooking in the kitchen, Tokiko saw that most of her peers had already started conversations with each other.
From what Tokiko could make out, Sanae and Nitori were talking about machinery and robots together. Tokiko wondered if Sanae was actually interested in such things.
Next to them were Utsuho and Reisen. Tokiko had not the slightest clue about what they were talking about. Whatever it was, it was too complex for Tokiko to understand.
Tenshi, Yuugi, and Marisa also seemed to be enjoying each others company. The three of them were the loudest, talking about everyday life and their hobbies.
Seated at a table away from the others was Eiki, Ran, and Aya. The three of them seemed to be engaged in a rather serious conversation judging by their expressions. Tokiko tried to listen in, but could only make out words such as 'rules' and 'loopholes'.
Tokiko noticed that Reimu, Patchouli, and Kasen were all distancing themselves from everyone else. Tokiko wondered if she should try talking to any of them.

Tokiko first approached Reimu, who appeared deep in thought.
"You look like you've got a lot on your mind, Reimu."
"I wonder what kind of food they'll be serving us."
"... Huh?"
"Food. Since the gardener and the maid are making our dinner."
"Oh, well, um... I don't know but I'm sure that, whatever they make, it'll be good."
"It had better be."
Reimu seemed a lot more serious when food was involved.
"Will it be the staple curry? Or something more grand...? I have always wanted to try some foie gras..."

Tokiko decided to leave Reimu and began to walk towards Kasen, who was meditating once more.
"Greetings, Tokiko."
"Hello."
"I believe that I have yet to express my deepest sympathies towards your loss. You were close to our teacher, were you not?"
As soon as Keine was mentioned, Tokiko felt as though something was tearing at her chest. This feeling grew as she looked around and saw her classmates happily talking with each other.
"Sorry... I don't really want to talk about it right now..."
"I understand. My apologies for mentioning such a topic. Let us look forward to the meal that is to be served to us, then."
"Yeah, let's."

Kasen began meditating once more as Tokiko left to speak with Patchouli, who was sitting the furtherest away from the rest of the group.
"You again. What do you want this time?"
"You're not going to tell me that I'm not worthy to be in your presence?"
"You most certainly are not, but I shall allow the transgression for the time being."
"Um... Then do you mind if I ask you a question?"
"Very well, but I shall only allow one."
"Earlier, I heard you talking about 'Remi'... Were you referring to Remilia Scarlet?"
"Of course."
"How do you know someone like that?"
"I believe I told you that I would only tolerate one question. Now begone."

As Patchouli said this, the kitchen doors opened, revealing Youmu and Sakuya pushing along a large catering trolley.
While the trolley itself was covered by a rather plain, white piece of cloth, the food on top of it was anything but plain.
There were a wide variety of dishes, ranging from steak tartare to a stew filled with all sorts of seafood.
"Delicious!"
Tokiko couldn't help but be amazed at the taste of the meal.
Every student couldn't help but forget about their troubles as they all enjoyed their dinner.

After dinner, Tokiko found herself lying on top of a rather comfortable bed.
They had decided distribution of the dormitory rooms on a first-come-first-served basis. While Tokiko was one of the first to grab a key, she had taken the sixteenth key, which made her room the furtherest from the entrace to the dormitory area.
The room was a rather simple one. It contained a bed, a desk, a chair, a closet, and a small rubbish bin. There was also a door that led to a small bathroom, complete with shower.
Tokiko sighed. Quite a lot had happened today. Tokiko wanted to think more about the day's events, but her fatigued mind would not allow her to do so.
Tokiko felt herself drifting to sleep with the thought that they would surely be rescued the next day...

[Dormio Ergo Sum]

"Mmm..."
Tokiko let out a strange noise as she rolled over in her bed.
She hadn't slept very well, how could she have? After what had happened the previous day...

Tokiko took a look around the room she was in to confirm that she truly was in Gensou Academy before slowly getting up and out of bed.
Surely, help would arrive and get them off this island today. With that thought in mind, Tokiko left her room, entering the dormitory corridors.
Here, she saw a few of her fellow classmates. Namely Eiki and Utsuho. Tokiko was rather surprised at how early Utsuho woke up, considering what she had seen of her behaviour.
Before Tokiko could greet any of them, though, an announcement rung through the school via the PA system.
"Good morning, you bastards! It's 7AM, which means a brand new day has started. Do try to enjoy it."
And, just like that, they were reminded that someone was watching their every move.

"That's not really something you want to hear in the morning."
Utsuho was the first to talk.
"Yeah... Good morning, by the way."
"Good morning to you too. I didn't take you to be the early bird type."
Tokiko immediately wondered if Utsuho had the right to say something like that.
"Hey, why are you looking at me like that?"
"No reason. None at all."
"Unyu... How mean..."

Utsuho walked off, leaving Tokiko alone with Eiki.
"You wake up pretty early too, don't you?"
"Of course. So as to not let one's mind waver, one must always strictly adhere to a routine, even when placed in an unfamiliar situation. However, it is rather difficult to maintain my regular schedule if we are to be confined within this school..."
"I guess we have to think of things to do until help arrives then."
"Indeed. To begin, I believe that I will acquire breakfast. Do you wish to join me?"
With no reason to refuse, Tokiko followed Eiki to the kitchen.
Once inside the kitchen, the pair of them began to look for something to eat. Tokiko found a brand of cereal that she rather liked and was in the process of searching for some milk when Eiki's voice distracted her.
"How strange."
"What is?"
"It would appear as though a knife is missing."
Tokiko hurried to Eiki's side at these words and saw a knife rack hanging from the wall in front of Eiki. The knives appeared to be sorted by size, and there was most definitely room for one more knife at the end of the rack where the smallest knife should have been.
"I'm sure... it was probably just misplaced... right?"
"I do not know. We should alert the others of this soon, we do not want a dangerous object to be unaccounted for."
"Yeah..."

If someone had actually taken the knife, what would they do with it? Did someone take the graduation rule seriously...?
These thoughts led to Tokiko asking Eiki a question as they ate together.
"What do you think about the rules we were given yesterday, as a Super High School Level Judge?"
"Hmm. I suppose that I would have to label them as strange. There are many questionable aspects of the rules. For example, the first rule disallows any violence towards the school's staff. However, we have yet to see a single person within this school other than ourselves. Of course, the most troublesome rule is the final one. To be able to 'graduate' through the means of killing another. As it is now, the rule is far too vague to make sense of. May I ask what brought this on?"
"Well, it's just that, with one of the knives missing..."
"I see. We can only hope that there are none foolish enough to take the graduation rule seriously."

After that conversation, Tokiko and Eiki continued eating in relative silence.
Once they had finished eating, Tokiko wondered what she would do for the rest of the day.
Perhaps she should spend some time talking with someone, at least until help arrives...


Oh, hey, look. You're a person with way too much free time.
Choose two people to hang out with, or hang out with the same person twice. It's up to you. Of course, if you want to be super boring, you can just go to sleep for a while.
I'll take votes in thread for ~24 hours or something.
Here's a list of available people for your convenience.

Reimu Hakurei                        -          SHSL ???
Marisa Kirisame                      -          SHSL Thief
Patchouli Knowledge           -          SHSL Librarian
Sakuya Izayoi                         -          SHSL Maid
Youmu Konpaku                   -          SHSL Gardener
Ran Yakumo                           -          SHSL Mathematician
Reisen Udongein Inaba     -          SHSL Nurse
Eiki Shiki                                  -          SHSL Judge
Nitori Kawashiro                  -           SHSL Mechanic
Aya Syameimaru                  -          SHSL Reporter
Sanae Kochiya                      -          SHSL Celebrity
Tenshi Hinanawi                  -          SHSL Delinquient
Yuugi Hoshiguma                -          SHSL Brawler
Utsuho Reiuji                        -          SHSL Physicist
Kasen Ibaraki                        -          SHSL Hermit

[Conqueror]

Vote: Tenshi and Sanae
Meta tells me neither are surviving to the end.

[Polaris]

Youmu and Sanae :D

[nanashinoname]

Tenshi and Tenshi
My work here is done.

[Blackraptor]

Reimu and Reimu again. Dem question marks be bothering me somewhat.

This is clearly not because I like Reimu the best among the choices provided. Clearly

[Raitaki]

Reimu and Ran :3

[Ikari]

I'm late, but eh... At least I'll graciously point out my opinions.  :derp:

Tenshi and Sakuya!

[Jq1790]

Youmu and Tenshi for me!

[Dormio Ergo Sum]

By popular demand, it looks like you'll be spending some time with Tenshi and Reimu.
Isn't that great, Tokiko? You might make some friends!


Without much to do, Tokiko wandered aimlessly through the school.
Whilst wandering, Tokiko noticed Tenshi Hinanawi loitering near the entrance of the lift.
Though a part of her remained reluctant, Tokiko decided to approach Tenshi.
"Argh! This is so boring! What do they expect us to even do in here?!"
Tokiko instinctively jumped back at Tenshi's outburst.
"Oh, didn't notice you there. Sorry if I scared you."
"That's okay... What are you doing here?"
"What's it fucking look like? Absolutely nothing. There's nothing to do here!"
Tenshi put on a sour look before speaking again.
"Well, since we've got nothing better to do, want to chill somewhere?"
Tokiko nodded, spending some time getting to know her classmates definitely seemed like a better way to spend her time than anything else she could think of.
"Alright then, let's look for a good place to hang out then."

As Tokiko traversed through the school with Tenshi, Tokiko decided to start the conversation with a question.
"So, Tenshi, how did you get into this school?"
"Me? I don't really know. I just got an invitation from the school one day saying that my skills as a 'Super High School Level Delinquent' got me a spot in this school."
Tenshi stopped walking, placing her hand on her chin as she thought.
"It's such a lame way to get into this school, isn't it? Delinquency is my skill? What the hell is up with that?"
"I'm sure that there's more to it than that..."
"It's not like I'm really complaining though, getting into this school was a pretty good thing for me... What about you though? I mean, you don't really talk much. You're probably have this amazing talent, don't you?"
Tokiko grimaced.
"What's wrong?"
"Actually... I don't have one."
"What?"
"Those 'Super High School Level' titles that everyone else have... I don't have one..."
"Seriously? How the fuck did you get into this school then?"
"I'm not really sure myself..."
"Well, it's not like I'm one to talk about who should get into this school. After all, I'm here as a delinquent. Guess we're kind of like the odd ones out, huh?"
Tenshi gave a small laugh as she said this.

The two continued to walk through the school as they chatted about trivial things, though it seemed that at least one person was already occupying every room in the school.
"Not surprising with how small this shitty place is. Want to head into my room?"
"Is that okay?"
"Why wouldn't it be?"
As Tokiko couldn't think of a response for Tenshi, she soon found herself standing in Tenshi's room.
The room had a similar layout to her own, though slightly messier. The bed hadn't been properly made and there were a few small bags piled up in a corner of the room.
"How long are you just going to stand there?"
"Ah, sorry."
Tokiko took a seat on the chair next to the desk while Tenshi sat down on her bed.
"It's so boring here! I can't stand it!"
"What do you normally do in your spare time?"
"Me? Whatever I want, of course! If something's fun, then that's what I'll do. Screw what everyone else thinks, it's not like what they think affects you."
An answer that Tokiko was expecting to some degree.
"Say, Tokiko, have you ever thought about the future?"
"The future?"
"Yeah, you know, the future. What you'll be doing as an adult."
"Oh, um... Not really..."
This seemed like a surprisingly serious topic, not quite what Tokiko was expecting from someone like Tenshi.
"I have. Quite a lot, actually. I'm famous for being a pretty big troublemaker, right? I mean, that's the only reason I got into this school."
Tenshi let herself fall onto her bed, her eyes fixed on the ceiling.
"But, lately, somebody's been asking me where that'll get me. And I can't give her an answer."
Tenshi's eyes closed.
"It's not that I don't follow rules for the hell of it. I just don't see the point of listening to all of the bullshit people have come up with."
Tenshi sighed.
"I know I can't be this way forever... But I don't think I can change."
"I don't really think you have to..."
"Huh?"
"Isn't it okay to do what you want? I mean, if you have your own set of beliefs, isn't it okay if you follow through with them?
"Even if you say that, the world is a pretty harsh place. Misfits like me end up without a place to belong."
"Then you could make one. You have a lot of people willing to support you, right? I don't know if it's just me, but I get the feeling that you can do anything that you set your mind to. And I'm sure that's the actual reason why you were invited to this school, not because of something like delinquency!"
"You sounded really cheesy just now."
"Did I...?"
"You're right though. Screw everyone else! Life is all about making your own path, isn't it? Then I'll do just that!"
Tenshi got back up off the bed and onto her feet.
"... Once we get out of this damn school, that is. Thanks Tokiko, I feel a lot better. If anything, I'm glad all this gave us a chance to talk."
Tokiko felt as though a strong bond was created between herself and Tenshi.

After her conversation with Tenshi, Tokiko found herself wandering around the school once more.
Tokiko froze as she walked past the cafeteria.
She had most certainly seen the corpse of a girl, slumped against the wall next to the cafeteria's doors.
Had somebody really committed a murder? Did somebody really believe the graduation rule?
Tokiko turned to take another look at the body before sighing in relief.
Outside the cafeteria was not a corpse, but simply the lifeless body of Reimu Hakurei.
Tokiko wasn't all that sure on how these two things differed, but Tokiko knew that there was a distinction between the two.
"What are you doing there?"
"..."
"Um... Reimu...?"
"... Food."
"Are you hungry...?"
"... Food."
"Should I get you something to eat...?"
Reimu gave Tokiko a small nodding motion.

"You really saved me there, thanks."
After having consumed the sandwiches that Tokiko had made for her, Reimu seemed to be much more energetic.
The two of them were seated in the cafeteria, and Reimu continued to happily bite into another sandwich.
"Um... Why didn't you just get something to eat yourself...?"
As soon as Tokiko asked this question, the atmosphere shifted. Reimu's face was flushed red, and she was looking away from Tokiko.
Tokiko wondered if she shouldn't have asked that question. The two sat in silence for a while before Tokiko tried restarting the conversation.
"I wonder when help will arrive..."
"I didn't have the energy to get anything myself, okay?"
"Huh?"
"What's the big deal about making your own food anyway?"
"Um... I wasn't..."
"It's not like everyone knows how to cook!"
Did Reimu have some sort of complex about cooking?
"You're right. It's nothing to get so worked up about, so... can you please calm down, Reimu...?"
"... Sorry."
Reimu stood up and quickly walked off, leaving Tokiko very confused.
"Wait, Reimu!"

Tokiko felt the need to chase after Reimu, eventually finding herself in front of one of the dormitory rooms.
She knocked on the door, though there wasn't much of a response.
"Reimu...? Are you in there? Do you mind if I come in...?"
Tokiko was about to knock again when she noticed that the door was ajar.
"Excuse me..."
Tokiko pushed the door open to reveal Reimu's room. Like her own, Reimu seemed not to have done anything to personalize the room. If it weren't for Reimu lying on the bed, and a few bags lined up neatly against the wall, Tokiko wouldn't have been able to tell that anybody was using this room at all.
"Are you here to laugh at me?"
"Laugh at you?"
"Because I can't cook. Because I can't do anything."
"That's not true. And that's no reason to laugh at you..."
"What would you know? You don't know what it's like to have your entire life decided for you by others. I was never allowed to do anything, I couldn't even voice my own thoughts. My mother didn't want me to come to this school either. This is the first time I've ever gone against her judgement. But I couldn't stand it any longer."
"So the reason why you say you can't do anything is because..."
"Because I haven't done anything before."
Reimu sat up on her bed.
"Why am I even telling you all this? You probably just think I'm some freak now, don't you?"
"Of course not! I'm sure you'd be great at all sorts of things once you get the opportunity to try them. In fact, do you want to try something right now?"
"I..."
"How about cooking? I'm nowhere near as good as the ones that made our dinner yesterday, but I can still make a decent meal. So, do you want to?"
"... Okay."

And so, Tokiko found herself in the kitchen with Reimu, practicing how to make a omelette.
Though making an omelette was simple enough, Tokiko couldn't help but worry about how somebody who hadn't cooked anything before would fare.
She needn't have worried, though, as Reimu seemed to be doing fine. In fact, Reimu seemed to be working at a speed that Tokiko would only expect from those very familiar with the recipe.
Once the two of them had finished making their omelettes, they headed back into the cafeteria to enjoy what they had made.
"Have you really never cooked anything before? You looked pretty comfortable back there."
Reimu shook her head.
"I just did what felt right. Guess it turned out alright."
"That's pretty amazing, though. To be so good at your first try. Like I said, I'm sure that you're great at all sorts of things, you just don't know it yet."
"... I guess."
Reimu poked at her omelette a bit.
"I have to say, it feels pretty good to do something yourself. Next time, will you teach me something else?"
"Sure thing!"
Tokiko felt as though a strong bond was created between herself and Reimu.

After having had the opportunity to get to know Tenshi and Reimu a bit better, Tokiko decided to explore the school some more.
Tokiko recalled that Reisen and Utsuho had been assigned to watch over the sick bay, and so that was Tokiko's first destination.
The inside of the sick bay looked almost identical to the first time Tokiko had visited the sick bay. Reisen was even sitting at the desk examining something, a sheet of paper.
"What are you looking at this time?"
Reisen looked up at Tokiko before placing the piece of paper on the table.
"Hey there, Tokiko. I found an inventory of all the medicines and equipment they keep here. Okuu and I have been making sure that everything is accounted for."
"Okuu?"
"Ah, right, Utsuho Reiuji. She seems to prefer to be called Okuu."
Tokiko thought that she recalled Utsuho telling her something like that.
"So what brings you here, Tokiko?"
"Nothing really. I just didn't have much else to do. About Utsuho... Where is she?"
Tokiko looked around the sick bay once more, and she most definitely could not see Utsuho in the room with them.
"Okuu just went to grab something to eat. She hasn't even had breakfast yet, poor thing."
"She hasn't?"
That was strange. Hadn't Utsuho had woken up at around the same time as Tokiko today? She wondered why Utsuho hadn't simply eaten something then. Disregarding this for the time being, Tokiko continued her conversation with Reisen.
"So, about that list you found. Is everything here?"
Reisen frowned.
"Almost. There should be a bottle of potassium cyanide somewhere, but neither Okuu or I have been able to find it. I swear, some of the things they keep here..."
"Sorry that you have to do this..."
"Hmm? It's no problem. As you said earlier, it isn't as though we would have had much else to do anyway. Besides, Okuu is a pretty interesting person to talk to."
"Ummuf?"
Tokiko's conversation with Reisen was interrupted by Utsuho walking into the sick bay, complete with a piece of toast in her mouth which she promptly removed.
"What about me?"
"Nothing, really... I was just wondering how you two were doing."
"Oh, we're fine! Right, Re... Rei... Raisin?"
"Reisen."
"Unyu... Anyway, Raisin is a pretty fun person to talk to."
Reisen let out a rather loud sigh.
"What's wrong, Raisin?"
"Nothing."
"Come on, something's up Raisin."
Tokiko thought it best to leave the two alone for the time being.
Instead, she wondered what everyone else was doing...

[Ikari]

...Damn, that was some pretty awesome characterization.

And it was insanely adorable. This needs to become a Visual Novel, with all the girls' paths available

[Dormio Ergo Sum]

The first group of people Tokiko came across after leaving the sick bay were Marisa, Tenshi, and Yuugi.
The three of them were wandering the halls, much like Tokiko.
"Hey, Tokiko, what's up?"
Marisa broke off from the group to greet Tokiko, not that Tenshi and Yuugi seemed to mind as they continued their conversation.
"Not much..."
"Same here! There really isn't much to do other than wait, ze."
As Marisa was about to begin complaining about the school, the sound of an announcement being made silenced the school.
"Are you bastards having fun? Life must be good when you have nothing to worry about. I have something to say to you all, so hurry up and make your way to the auditorium."
Marisa looked at Tokiko with a confused expression.
"What do you think that was about?"
"I'm not sure... I don't think it could be anything good though..."
"Yeah, no kidding."

"What the fuck was that?"
"Oi, what're they up to now?"
Tenshi and Yuugi were quick to join Tokiko and Marisa after the announcement.
"Beats me."
Marisa shrugged.
"Should we go see what it was all about then? We won't accomplish anything by standing around here so..."
"Yeah, I guess so."

By the time that they reached the auditorium, it seemed as though most of the others had already gathered.
The only people that Tokiko couldn't see waiting inside the auditorium were Utsuho and Reisen.
A quick glance at the screen in the auditorium revealed it to be off.
"So what's going on here? Does anyone know?"
Marisa quickly broke the silence.
"Got no clue, buddy."
Nitori answered Marisa's question rather bluntly.
"I was in here when the announcement was made. Doesn't look like whoever's pulling the strings around here wants to do anything until everyone gets here."
"Isn't there anything we can do other than wait...?"
Youmu appeared rather worried as she nervously looked around the auditorium.
"Hmph. What a boring waste of time this is turning out to be."
"Honestly, when I tell Remi of these events, whoever is behind this will regret having tried to cross me."
Ran and Patchouli began their complaints when Utsuho and Reisen finally entered the auditorium.

As soon as Utsuho and Reisen entered, the screen filled with static, and the students fell silent as they diverted their attention to the screen.
"You bastards sure do like to make me wait, don't you? Has your carefree lifestyle already turned you all into such lazy bastards?"
"Enough of that. Why did you ask for us to come here?"
Aya was quick to interrupt the voice.
"Pushy, aren't we? It's not as though you have anything else to do, don't you want to talk with me?"
"I have no intention to waste more words than necessary on the likes of you."
"How mean... Oh well, I guess I'll give you bastards what you want."
The static on the screen was replaced with images of various news sources, including Aya's Bunbunmaru.
Each of these sources had a small story about this year's new students at Gensou Academy and what could be expected of them. None of the sources shown included the death of Keine, not even the boat crash was mentioned.
"What is this supposed to mean to us?"
"Do I need to spell it out for you bastards? The help that you're waiting for. It isn't coming. As far as the outside world is concerned, you're all enjoying a normal school life at Gensou Academy. This school has more than enough influence to keep you here indefinetly, so all those thoughts you had of someone coming to save you? Forget them."
"That... That's..."
"Do you honestly expect us to believe that?"
Before Youmu could say anything, Aya interjected once more.
"Pictures like that can easily be faked, you don't have any proof to back up your claims!"
"And after I went out of my way to tell you this. You bastards are breaking my heart."
The images on the screen were replaced by static once more.
"You'll find out that I'm telling the truth eventually anyway. I don't know why you bastards are so opposed to living out to remainder of your lives here. You're the ones that wanted to be here after all. Besides, if you really want to leave, all you have to do is graduate!"
After delivering those words, the screen was turned off once more, and the students were left in varying states of confusion.
Tokiko wondered what everyone else's thoughts on the mastermind's words were.

"..."
As expected, Reimu didn't seem to have much to say.
Tokiko thought that it might be better to leave Reimu to her thoughts for the time being.

Instead, Tokiko turned to Youmu, who looked rather doubtful.
"Say, you don't think that what that person is saying... could be true, do you?"
"It can't be. There's no way that anybody would be able to keep us all locked away forever."
"Yes, yes... That's right... Until we find a way to get out of here, we must simply stay strong."

Tokiko left Youmu and approached Marisa, who looked rather unperturbed.
"How come you're not worried at all...?"
"Didn't you hear that reporter girl, Tokiko? It's just like she said, that had to be faked."
"Do you really think so...?"
"Of course! You can't let yourself be fooled, ze!"

It seemed that Marisa didn't have much more to offer on the matter, and so Tokiko tried talking to Yuugi.
"Ain't that just great? The more I listen to whoever's in charge 'round here, the more I just want to bust down that door and get the hell out of here."
"I don't think that's the best idea..."
"Ya think I don't know that too? It's just annoying to be stuck in here and have to listen to someone's whims."
"Yeah, I get what you mean..."
"I just wish there were something to do here, ya know?"

After having talked to Yuugi, Tokiko turned to the nearby Tenshi, who looked rather annoyed.
"They're wasting our time just to tell us that bullshit?"
"Well, it's not like we had anything better to do..."
"Hey, whose side are you on? It doesn't matter what we're doing, if they're wasting our time, then they're wasting our time."
Tenshi walked off, continuing to look rather annoyed.

"Hmph. How boring. In the end, it was simply repetition."
Ran had an expression on her face that Tokiko couldn't help but see as disappointment.
"For all the emphasis that the mastermind behind this plot seems to be putting on graduating, they certainly aren't giving us a good reason to attempt it."
"Do you think that anybody is going to try to graduate?"
"Only an idiot would try. Of course, knowing that people like you are here, that does little to assure me."
Tokiko wondered if it would really hurt so much to be a little bit nicer.
As Tokiko thought this, Ran gave Tokiko a condescending snort before walking elsewhere.

Tokiko noticed Kasen standing around one of the corners of the room, and so decided to try hearing what she made of the events so far.
"We have a rather troublesome host, do we not?"
"What do you mean?"
"We have been summoned to this place every day to talk with our host. In addition to this, today, there was no real topic to talk about. Of course, three days is not enough to determine if this is an actual pattern, but it is rather interesting."
"Interesting?"
"I am quite interested in finding out what kind of person one would have to be in order to trap us like they have done so. Are you not curious about this?"
"Well... I guess I am..."
"If only I had an opportunity to speak with our host some time."
Tokiko couldn't help but think that a conversation between Kasen and the mastermind would likely go around in circles, though she didn't actually make this comment.

"Unyu... I have to spend more time here? I'm going to be in so much trouble..."
"Trouble?"
"With my research team. We're supposed to have daily meetings to detail our progress. Unyu..."
"Won't they understand if you just tell them what happened here?"
"I don't think so. Science doesn't wait for anyone or anything."
"That sounds tough..."
"Unyu..."

Tokiko left Utsuho to worry about her research and approached Sanae, who had a neutral expression.
"I do wonder how much more time we have left before we leave this place."
"I don't really know, but I'm sure we'll be able to get out soon."
Sanae sighed.
"I suppose that is so."
"You kind of seem down about that..."
"My apologies, pay me no mind, I am simply lost in my own thoughts."
"I see..."

Like Sanae, Eiki also seemed to be thinking about something.
"Was there something about what they said that's worrying you...?"
"Oh, Tokiko. Not anything that was said, no. Rather, it is the lack of purpose in this meeting that vexes me so."
"Yeah, the mastermind didn't really say anything new this time, did they?"
"It seems that whoever is behind this is content to have events unfold at their own pace. Does this mean that their claims have some merit?"
"I..."
Tokiko hadn't thought about that. If the mastermind was truly willing to wait for something to happen to their group, did that mean that the mastermind was not worried about someone coming to help them?

As Tokiko thought about what Eiki had said, she found herself standing in front of Sakuya and Patchouli.
Sakuya simply gave Tokiko a quick glance, while Patchouli made an exaggerated sigh.
"Time and time again, you insist on ruining my mood with your presence. Do you harbour some sort of hatred towards me?"
"Huh? N-no, of course not!"
"Then why is it that you continue to sicken me with your worthlessness?"
... Just what was her problem? It didn't seem as though Patchouli acted this way towards everyone, so why to her? Tokiko had had enough.
"I'm not worthless! People like you are the worthless ones! What's wrong with you? It doesn't matter who you are, that's no excuse to treat other people like that!"
Patchouli looked rather taken aback by Tokiko's outburst, while Sakuya watched Tokiko with a curious expression.
"Tokiko, was it?"
"Y-yes?"
"Would you believe that you are among the first to talk back to me?"
"I am...?"
"You are. And I do hope that you prove to be as interesting as you seem right now."
With that, Patchouli left with Sakuya, a content look on her face. What remained was a rather confused Tokiko.

Tokiko decided to talk to Reisen, looking for someone more predictable to deal with than Patchouli.
"That announcement was really similar to yesterday's one, wasn't it?"
"It was. I'm quite curious about what the point, if any, of this meeting was."
"I guess we'll find out when help arrives and the police question whoever was behind this... By the way, did you or Utsuho ever find that missing bottle?
"We looked in every nook and cranny, but couldn't find the potassium cyanide anywhere. Okuu is convinced that the bottle never existed, and it certainly seems that way."
"I guess that means that it's safe, at least..."
"I suppose. I should probably grab Okuu and get back to the sick bay before anyone has the chance to sneak in there. See you around."

After watching Reisen and a protesting Utsuho leave the auditorium, Tokiko decided to approach Nitori.
"Hey there, buddy."
"Hey."
"Pretty crazy situation we're in. Whoever is talking through the speakers seems like they really want someone to graduate. Don't you think so?"
"I guess they do mention it a lot..."
"Right? And even though they're telling us to live a peaceful life here, they keep bringing up graduating. It seems real fishy, if you ask me."
"I concur."
Aya had joined the conversation at some point, pen furiously at work as she continued to write something into her notebook.
"It is quite contradictory to offer a communal lifestyle whilst continuously shoving graduation into our faces."
Aya stopped writing briefly and flipped through a few of the notebook's pages.
"Though, Tokiko, it seems as though you really waste no time in talking to everyone whenever something happens. I wonder, are you looking for reactions?"
Huh? Was Aya trying to imply something here?
"That is to say, it's quite natural for someone to want to know what others think of their work. Are you, perhaps-"
"Hey, buddy, cut it out."
Nitori stopped Aya before she could continue her train of thought.
"I don't know about what you're saying, but I don't like where it's going one bit. We should all just wait until someone comes to get us out of here."
"If someone comes."

As soon as Aya mentioned that one word, "if", Tokiko began to feel a sense of dread...

[Dormio Ergo Sum]

"What's her problem? The last thing we need is to start suspecting each other of something."
It had already been two days since they had lost contact with the outside world.
Considering her fellow classmates, there was no way that the world could calmly accept their disappearance.
"Tokiko? You alright there, buddy?"
"Huh? Oh. Yeah, I'm fine..."
"You sure don't look it. Why don't you go take a breather? I'll call you if something happens."
"Yeah, I might do that..."

Tokiko quietly took her leave and began heading towards the dormitories.
Tokiko sighed as she thought about what Aya had said to her.
It was an utterly ridiculous notion, that she would have caused the situation that they were in, but Tokiko couldn't help but wonder.
What if the person that had set up this entire situation was among them? Could she really trust everyone here?
Such thoughts circled around Tokiko's head as she eventually made it to her room, collapsing upon the bed and letting sleep distract her.

Some time passed before Tokiko was awakened by the sound of knocking on her door.
"Excuse me, are you awake?"
Though tired, Tokiko could make the voice out to be belonging to Sanae, and reluctantly stepped out of her bed to open her door.
Upon opening the door, Tokiko was greeted by both Sanae and Nitori.
"Hey there, buddy. Feeling better?"
Tokiko simply nodded in response.
"Well, they're making food for us again, and we thought that you probably didn't want to miss out."
"Indeed, though I do believe that the main reasoning was that Nitori was worried about you."
"Hey!"
Nitori gave Sanae a quick glare before clearing her throat.
"A-anyway, what do you say, buddy?"
Tokiko didn't really have a reason to decline their offer.
"Sure, I guess."

As the three of them began to walk towards the cafeteria, Sanae brought up a strange topic.
"Do you believe that anyone here is capable of murder?"
"This again?"
"What... do you mean?"
Tokiko was rather confused. What kind of question was that?
"As I said, do you believe that any of us would be capable of performing the act of murdering another?"
Before Tokiko could articulate a response, Sanae continued.
"I do not think so. And I believe that everyone would agree with that notion. If this is the case, then is there any need for fear or suspicion? Again, I do not think so."
"We were not placed here without purpose, there is something that the mastermind desires. What is that something? I am inclined to believe that it would be for us to participate within this ridiculous system of murder. Has it not struck you as strange, the number of times that the mastermind has referred to the 'graduation' rule, despite the reassurances that they simply wish for us to live together in peace?"
"By becoming distrustful and distancing ourselves from each other so that an opportunity for murder may occur, would we not be simply playing into the mastermind's hand?"
"Therefore, I believe that we should spend what time we have together, creating bonds amongst ourselves and becoming intimate friends. This way, not only do we minimize the chance of any misunderstandings occurring, but we will also have the opportunity to pool our collective thoughts on what needs to be done. Do you not think that our minds combined will be able to overcome any trial?"
Sanae paused.
"I intend to say something to this effect when everyone is gathered at tonight's dinner. May I depend upon you for support?"
Tokiko wasn't entirely sure how she should respond.
"I... don't see why not."
Certainly, the idea of anything that would cause her to be able to better trust the people that she was living with appealed to Tokiko, and she saw no reason to reject Sanae's line of thinking.
"Wonderful! Then what remains is to simply convince the others."
As Sanae said this, the three of them entered the cafeteria where their peers were waiting.

[Cybeast710]

Ah, a new take on an old classic.

"And Then There Were None", by Agatha Christie. The storyline is much the same. WHO is the perpetrator? And I wonder:
Plotline spoiler for "And Then There Were None". If you haven't read it, don't look at the spoiler.

Spoiler:

Will someone FAKE their own death?

The story's been adapted in the past, but this one has me even more on the edge of my seat than the original! Keep writing this, you're awesome!

[Dormio Ergo Sum]

Unlike last night, where only Sakuya and Youmu prepared the food, several others had offered their help and prepared dishes of their own.
It seemed as though they felt rather guilty about having left the responsibility of cooking for sixteen people to the two.
As a result, there was quite the variety of foods spread throughout the tables in the cafeteria.
Tokiko wished that she could have tried making something too, it would have been fun.
Evidently, her desire showed, as Nitori gave Tokiko a light pat on the back.
"Maybe next time, buddy."

Tokiko instead observed her surroundings. It seemed that she, along with Sanae and Nitori, were the last to arrive.
Reimu and Kasen were sitting together at a table, though the two of them weren't talking. Both seemed to be waiting for an opportunity to begin eating.
Marisa, Yuugi, and Tenshi were at another table, talking and laughing loudly about their past exploits. The three seemed to enjoy talking about strength.
Nearby, an irritable Eiki was quietly listening to the troublemakers. Ran seemed to be taking Eiki's expression as an invitation to tease her relentlessly.
Utsuho and Reisen could be found together, discussing sciences too complicated for the rest of the students to follow. They seemed to be enjoying it, at the very least.
Youmu seemed to be asking Sakuya about her work, her duties, and her attitudes towards them. With Patchouli nowhere to be seen, Sakuya seemed content to answer Youmu's questions.
From what Tokiko could gather, Patchouli was feeling rather ill, and so Sakuya had prepared a separate meal for her.

Tokiko, Nitori, and Sanae claimed their own table and, soon, an ordinary scene began.
Everyone simply ate, drank, talked, and otherwise enjoyed themselves.
Once everyone had become immersed in their meals, Sanae gave a quick look towards Nitori and Tokiko.
Nitori gave her a thumbs up, while Tokiko simply nodded.

"Excuse me, may I briefly hold your attention?"
Sanae rose from her seat and addressed her fellow peers in the cafeteria. Curious about what she had to say, everyone became silent.
"I have been thinking about the situatio-"
A loud cough from an apologetic Nitori interrupted Sanae.
"Sorry about that, buddy. Go fo-"
Before Nitori could finish speaking, a fit of coughing overcame her once more.
"That's... weird..."
Nitori was staring at the hands with which she had covered her coughing. Her hands, now dyed red.
Tokiko, who was sitting next to Nitori, paled as she watched her continue to cough out more blood.

[Ikari]

Aaaarrgggghhhhh, don't just stop like that :qq:

Poisoning? Attempted murder? So many possibilities!

[Necrotastic]

Wow this is getting really exiting!

Nitori is screwd thought...(poor kappa :ohdear:  )
And btw the amazing talent Tokiko have, is clearly going to be badass Poirot-like detective skills.  8)K   

Can't wait for more!

[Dormio Ergo Sum]

"Eh...?"
Tokiko was confused. Just what was happening to the cheerful girl beside her?
"Nitori? What's wrong?! Nitori?!"
To the other side of Nitori, Sanae was in a state of panic.
Neither of the two could do much more than watch as Nitori collapsed onto the table.
"Nitori! Answer me! What's wrong?!"

At the same time, Reisen pushed everything out of her way as she made her way to Nitori with haste.
Though she was working to try to discover what was happening to Nitori, it was apparent from the look on her face it was far too late for her.

"How could something like this be happening..."
Youmu seemed to be in a state of shock, with only Sakuya's presence keeping her from completely losing it.
Though Sakuya, too, seemed rather surprised at the development.
She had already made the decision to leave Nitori to Reisen, who would likely be more useful than herself in this situation, and decided to dedicate her efforts to keeping the more unstable elements from becoming another source of trouble.
Of course, to anyone else, it simply looked as though Sakuya didn't particularly care about what was happening to Nitori.

Utsuho and Marisa had a similar reaction to Youmu.
Neither of them could do much more than try to contain their panic, they were at a complete loss at how to react to the situation.
"That's horrible..."
"Hey... Are you serious?"

"H-hey... Cut that shit out!"
At the same time, there were those that refused to acknowledge the events that were unfolding their eyes.
Tenshi continued to shout at Nitori, with Yuugi trying to calm her down.
"Oi, now ain't the time to be so loud."

Several more people began rushing to Nitori's location, to confirm that what they were seeing was really happening.
Aya was frantically recording every detail that her pen could capture.
Kasen was attempting to console Sanae, who had been reduced to simply shaking Nitori weakly whilst asking why she wouldn't answer her.

In the corner of the room, away from her peers, Reimu simply watched the reactions of everyone else.

Eiki and Ran both donned a rather grim look.
Neither of them moved, though Ran seemed to be muttering something to herself.
"To think that there really would be an idiot foolish enough to do this..."

As the confusion continued to grow, a cheerful chime filled the school, followed by the distorted voice.
"Ahem. As much as I'd love to continue watching you bastards writhe, I do have a job to do. And so, as most of you have probably realized by now, a murder has occurred!"
"Oh, doesn't the very thought of one classmate killing another fill you with despair? Even more so when you're all as talented as you are!"
Before the voice could continue, Reimu interrupted with her own accusation.
"How do we know that it wasn't you that murdered Nitori? You're always watching us, right? And you're the one that brought us here. Wouldn't it be easy for you to kill one of us off to create suspicion?"
"Oh my, how scary. Of course, it's entirely possible that I could kill you bastards right now if I wanted. But that wouldn't be any fun at all, would it?"
"No, no, no. It was one of you bastards that killed your dear classmate. I even have proof!"
This time, Eiki was the one to interrupt the voice's speech.
"What happens now? From what I understand regarding our current situation, nobody knows who committed the murder of Nitori Kawashiro. Does that mean that, as the rules have stated, the murderer will be released from this school now?"
"What? Of course not! Do you bastards think that you can get anything in life that easily? Simply killing someone is good enough to get what you want? You bastards are going to have to prove that you're capable of getting away with murder!"
"And, while we're on that subject, this is probably a good time for me to introduce the trial system I made just for you! Ahem. Here goes..."

"Gensou Academy's exciting murder trials! Who is the culprit? It's up to you to find out!"
"A completely new addition to the curriculum! A battle of wits amongst our nation's most talented students!"
"Our students need to prove that they can get away with absolutely anything, even murder!"
"To do that, we have our newly created trial system!"
"The rules are simple. Once a murder has been discovered, our students will be given a set amount of time to collect any evidence or information that might be useful for finding out the identity of the murderer. Murders are considered to be discovered when three or more people find the corpse."
"Once that time is up, the students will be taken to the trial room, where they will argue amongst themselves and try to convince each other of about who the real murderer is!"
"At the end of this debate, a vote will be held to determine the identity of the murderer! Majority vote rules!"
"If the students vote correctly, then the murderer will be punished and the remainder of the students will continue their peaceful communal lifestyles within the school."
"However, if the students vote incorrectly, then the murderer will walk away with the grand prize: the opportunity to leave the school!"
"But it doesn't end there! Oh, no. Of course it doesn't. Whilst the murderer might be walking away without a care in the world, the rest of the students will be punished in the murderer's place!"
"So, what is the punishment that results from murdering another person? Execution, of course."
"Death can only be punishable by death!"
"Of course, it's not entirely fair to have students who are likely unfamiliar with death try to figure out how a murder was performed, so they'll receive a little help on that part."
"Speaking of which, in regards to the murder of Nitori Kawashiro: There appear to be no apparent wounds or other openings on the body. Death appears to have been caused by cardiac arrest. The time of death was approximately 7:23PM."
"And, with that done, it's time for you bastards to go collect your evidence! I'll call for you in a few hours. Or whenever I feel like it."