The land of Japan was suffering from an insane collapse across its economy, industrial backbone, healthcare system, and education sectors. The Northern part was already occupied since it was the closest to a super power, Russia, the result was obvious, and the transportation systems were immediately restricted because of decoys and spies for years. The invasion occurred in 2012 and is still going on in 2030. Only a few people made it alive from the northern region. Going to the northern region was prohibited.
Tanks surrounded villages. Some tanks surrounded villages to protect. Some tanks surrounded villages to enslave.
It was a miracle that some children were even able to get into education sectors. Most of them envied the ones without parents, because they got it for free at Fyoukyu Academy. Well, kind of.
Luxuries of knowledge, bedroom, apartment, and food.
They didn't need to pay today, but payment had to be given in the future. Not that it is important for these kids currently. They don't even know what the payment is right now.
An uncertain gamble they were making, and one of the gamblers was on the bus.
* * *
"Holy shit, these choco bars are a scam." Solska munched on them as his purple eyes glanced outside the bus window and his white hair fluttered. A kid looked at the school and scratched his arms. He didn't have a jacket. "Oh man, look at that poor kid. Does he believe scratching could generate sufficient heat?"
"Ahem, can you put your voice down a bit?" a young man in the same seat as Solska gripped his backpack. Solska turned around at him. "Huh? Why? You're scared of a little voice?"
"No. It is just that you are being a weirdo, and making me uncomfortable as hell." Ren looked into his backpack. Notes, geometry tools, and hope. He glanced at Solska. "Why do you only have one notebook in your backpack?"
"Because this school isn't about notes, idiot." Solska looked around the bus. Almost everyone had their notes except for a few.
"Just what the hell are you talking about again?" Ren got a bit curious. Solska stood up as the bus stopped. "Anyway, what is your background?"
"Asking this as a friend or what?" Ren looked at his ID. Age 16. Solska smiled. "I see, you got some levels of awareness, boy. Anyway, how did your admission exams go?"
"Oh, it was... great?" He somehow spoke to Solska. Solska grinned. "Ah I see, how was performance in particular though? Were any questions difficult?"
"Yeah. Question number 47 about the philosophy of 'Is it better to fail than to succeed?' was actually very hard, because I don't really like those philosophical stuff." Ren also stood up. They both got out of the bus.
"Hm, I see, philosophy questions can easily be one of those 'Aha, caught you!' and can be a pain in the asshole. I also struggled with one considering the fact that all the questions are university level." A nearby bird watched them from afar as they walked. "You know something funny? I almost forgot my name was Solska in the exam paper, then I had to waste time flipping pages back and forth."
They arrived at the gate. "Take your ID out, Ren."
"You don't have to remind me." Ren handed it towards the guard. Solska gave his ID card. "Name: Solska Kaneshiro. Age: 16. Birthplace: Hokkaido. Sex: Male." He checked both of their IDs. "You may go."
The classroom was full of chaos and no control. Solska and Ren sat next to each other. Solska in the window though. "Ah, perfect, now I can photosynthesise."
A blonde-haired woman came inside the classroom. She didn't shout, didn't bother to question the noise, didn't say anything. She just wrote. "Greetings to all of you at the Fyoukyu Academy, this is Mrs. Harley announcing, the judgments of the school are simple. If you don't graduate until college, you'll be a life slave to the homeland."
Silence. One person tried to move. His muscles didn't agree with him.
"What the-" Ren tried to mutter under his breath. He couldn't.
"That is all okay and good, but why are we jumping into conclusions rather than introductions?" A tall boy spoke, dark blue washed up hair, light blue shirt with sleeves up, red tie tied too tightly, crazy that he wasn't suffocating, and a coat lying on his desk. "Name's Hachina Naosaki. Good morning, human." He sat down with one hand lifting his chin.
"Okay! Name's Junko Uylessia!" A light pink haired woman stood up on the table. Half sleeves black shirt, crimson tie, and a small red frock. Her light green eyes were very charming. "Dear students of Fyoukyu Academy, consider me as your supreme leader! I'll free you from the slavery. You don't need to work for them. You all can work for me! Also, why the hell is there no AC?!"
"Because this school is imperfect," Hachina looked at the teacher. "Are you guys short on budget?"
"I'll die from heat before slavery!" Junko sat down. Her cheeks puffed.
Mrs. Harley pointed at a boy with her ruler. He had white hair, red eyes, a purple shirt, blue jeans, and a white stick type object in his mouth from which smoke was coming.
"Hm, what? Me?" He sucked the object. Miss. Harley snapped. "No cigarettes."
"Dear God, do people really think I'll die from lung cancer before diabetes?" He took out the lollipop from his mouth. "Name's Akeguru Shinji. And by the way, I was just licking it too fast." He turned toward Solska. "Hey, give your Goddamn name."
Solska stood up. "Solska... Kaneshiro." He paused before giving his last name.
"Oh okay, and the boy next to Solska?" Miss. Harley didn't point at Ren, yet he had already stood up. "Um... Ren Kanzaki."
*What the hell are these people? Why are they so chaotic yet calm underneath the danger?* Ren looked at Solska for a second then inhaled. "Mrs. Harley... why does this system exist?! Are we not humans!? What is all this? Is this a joke?"
Mrs. Harley calmly went near him, and fixed his crooked tie. "Be better next time, you have the lowest value currently in my eyes."
Mrs. Harley went back to the class again. "There is a local currency on your electrical devices which will be given now."
A janitor came from the door. She had brown hair, and she handed all of the students a phone. "This phone doesn't have any Internet access, so don't even try. Secondly, this phone takes a picture through its 3 cameras every 12 hours to detect bullying, social health, and emergencies. As for social networks, every student is already connected."
"Wow, what a great way to ruin someone's social life..." Ren muttered under his breath.
"Wow, what a great system for blackmailing." Solska smiled.
"There will be currency on the phone. It is called Xek and its local value is the same as the USD. The government gives 40,000 Xek each month like pocket money. Also, cafeteria food isn't free, and your social status, class performances, and grades don't give you extra money." She exhaled. "Now... shall we start the first event?"
Solska smiled. "Mrs. The admission form exams were told to give the same questions for all regions, right?" Mrs. Harley nodded. "Yet, I found a boy who got a different set of questions from me." Solska looked towards Ren and turned towards Mrs. Harley. "Region discrimination, favourites, or are we just data?"
"Oh... someone tested the water before tasting it." Junko laughed. Akeguru pulled out another lollipop. "Solska..."
"What?" Solska turned around.
"Your last name.... is fake, isn't it?" Akeguru licked his lollipop. Hachina didn't maintain his silence. "Ugh... I hate pre-preparation players. They always frontload contingencies."
"What did you achieve by doing this though?" Solska waited for Akeguru to respond. He didn't. "I'll explain in the future."
Ren glanced at Solska *That was a fake name?!* Ren looked at Akeguru. *How did... he know?*
Junko laughed. "Alright! So all of you men are already moving without me?"
* * *