Chapter 35: small Reunion and down the rabbit hole!
// Sakayanagi's POV //
So after all of that negotiating, it was a draw between class A and D? Pathetic. On the bright side class C was weak academically anyway so it was an easy 100 class points for us and I got payed. All in all it worked out for us as there's only a small gap for us to reach class A now. The only drawback to it all is that I have to take Lucy out to lunch and I can do that with the money she gave me.
hm? The door to our classroom opened and I saw a small girl at the entrance waving in my direction, "Hey Arisuuuuuuuu, it's lunch time! Come, come!"
I gave a small smile in return and grabbed my cane while ignoring all the stares from my classmates, "Of course, let's go."
As I reached the door I saw Ichinose standing next to Lucy where I couldn't see her from my seat, "Hello Ichinose, I was under the impression that it would just be the two of us Lucy. Not that I mind of course. fufu."
I saw Ichinose go to speak but Lucy cut in before she could get a word out, "Ah well I just thought that if you were offering me lunch you wouldn't mind paying for an extra person right?"
"Wait she doesn't need to pay for me." Ichinose seemed a little uncomfortable.
"Of course she does Ichiiiiiii, she invited the two of us out you know. It's the least she could do! Oh also before I forget..."
I saw Lucy walk back into my classroom but instead of following to listen I used this as an opportunity to speak to Ichinose directly, "So Ichinose, how did you find that last exam? Any trouble?"
Ichinose had her ever present smile on her face, "Ah well we had a little more trouble than we thought there would be, as it turns out class D had a little trouble with a student and managed to reach a draw with us. It's unfortunate but that's okay, everyone tried their hardest and that's what matters."
"Indeed it is, do you have any plans for Christmas? It's really close now." I won't even bother with that class D student trouble as I'm sure it's resolved now, no need.
"In fact I do! Our class is going to be getting together a lot over the holidays and me and Lucy are going to be starting a secret santa for everyone for the last day of school."
"I see, that sounds like fun-"
"Hey guys I'm back! Ah yes, Hashimoto over here heard your tempting offer to buy everyone lunch and wanted in." She says that like she didn't force him out here with that serious face of hers.
"Hey that's not true, you forced me out here!" And there it is. Is this supposed to be some kind of punishment for her not gaining any class points in the last exam? Oh well, in the end it's coming out of Lucy's pockets with the money she gave me. Not much loss there.
"It's fine Hashimoto, in fact I would feel more comfortable with someone from my own class to join us anyway." Hashimoto seemed relieved to hear that. "Anyway, should we make our way to the canteen now?"
// Ayanokoji's POV //
"The conference room?" Chabashira sensei has lead me all the way here when I'm supposed to be meeting up with a few friends.
"You have a visitor Ayanokoji, someone who wants to speak with you."
"With me?"
"Yes, with you. Now get in there, I think you will find this visitor to be of interest to you."
Chabashira's smirking, what's she planning? Oh well, it's easier to just speak with this visitor now and question her later.
As I open the door I see the man who participated in my birth; my father.
"Hello Ayanokoji, why don't you take a seat?" He's sat there with a smile iv'e never seen on his face before.
"No thanks, I'm not interested in spending too much time here after all. There's people waiting on me." With the intention to just leave now I turn towards the door and start walking away.
"Well I believe you'll find what I'm about to say very interesting, after all your no longer mine."
What? I'm the first and only successful product that ever came out of the white room and he intends to get rid of me? "What are you talking about?"
"Haha, I knew that would catch you. Anyway, your only mine for 3 more years. You could say I've traded you for something much more profitable, so I'd like to spend some quality time with you in the last few years I have you for. With that in mind, I want you to drop out of school."
Quality time? What a joke. "You don't seriously expect me to believe that do you? Your wasting your breath I'm afraid."
"Well that's only a half lie. It's true your only mine for 3 more years, but in those 3 years I need you to finish your education in the white room. If your willing to do that then I can assure you that you will be much more free than you ever have before, that's worth leaving the school isn't it?"
Freedom? Being 'traded away' isn't freedom, then again is living in a world where a government rules over you truly being free in the first place? Thoughts for another time, "Sorry but I'll be spending those 3 years here, after all your talk about the white room being the best place to learn anywhere in this country I thought I would put that to the test and so far I've learned a lot from being here."
"Ayanokoji, it's in your best interest to leave as soon as possible and return to me. Let this be a warning, you won't survive long staying where you currently are."
"Thanks but I'll take my chances." As I'm once again about to take my leave there's a knock at the door, but without waiting for any response the person enters immediately.
The man who enters is a tall white haired man, on second thoughts his hair has a purple hue to it that's a little difficult to notice at first glance. By the expression on my fathers face he seems to recognize him, "Hello Sakayanagi, It's been a while."
"Indeed it has professor Ayanokoji, quite a few years actually. How is everything?"
"Well my main project is back up and running, I just have a certain problem child in your school at the moment. As his father I would like to ask you to withdraw him from this place, chairman."
Chairman? And his names Sakayanagi? With that information and with the addition of his physical appearance there's no doubt he's related to Arisu Sakayangi.
"I'm afraid I can't do that professor, at this school we like to nurture individuality within our students and it is completely out of my hands to force a withdrawal. Ayanokoji Kyotaka, would you like to withdraw from my school?"
He knows my name, this man must have been close to my father for him to be keeping an eye on me. "No chairman."
"Haha, please just call me Sakayangi." I nodded in his direction, "Well as you can see professor, it would seem as if young Kyotaka here will be continuing his stay at ANHS."
My father got visibly annoyed at this, "So your telling me that your following the rules in terms of withdrawal but ignoring the rules pertaining to entry of the school? We both know that Kyotaka was not originally enrolled so please tell me why he gained entry."
"Consider it a favor to you professor, I believe I can help in nurturing your son to a higher degree."
*Sigh* "Well this is going nowhere so I'll tell you now, don't think you'll be here much longer. Before I leave Kyotaka I have another warning to you." I gave him my attention once again, "I made contact with a student here that I'm sure you know, they are very dangerous. Much more so than you could ever imagine, don't come back to me broken when your expelled."
With no response given to him, he left and I was alone with the chairman. Even after that incident he was smiling, "Don't pay him any attention Kyotaka, you'll be better of working on your studies."
What the chairman said was just niceties, "My father isn't too much trouble anyway, don't worry about it."
"Haha, well that's the spirit I suppose. Even so, I'm here to help if you need it so don't be afraid to ask. I'll give you my phone number, you'll be able to contact me through the phone given to you by the school if you need me. Your free to leave, and please do enjoy your Christmas break."
"Thank you chairman Sakayangi but I do have one question about a student in my year, she's in class A."
"Ah you mean Arisu? Yes she's my daughter but don't worry, she doesn't receive any special treatment. In fact I think she'd be annoyed if she did get any."
I nodded and left only to see Chabashira Sensei waiting for me, "So, how did it go?"
That smirk was still on her face but that meeting has helped me realize a few things, "Don't talk to me like you care, and don't expect me to help you reach your goals from this point on either. It's clear you have absolutely no connection with my father, the chairman helped me realize that fact."
"What? Ayanokoji, you have built up a lot with your class up until now and you just want to throw all that away when you've come this far? Your on your way to catching up with class C and surely succeed to class A with time, don't tell me you have no interest in doing that?"
I didn't dignify her with a response and carried on walking away, only one thing on my mind at the moment. 'Don't come back broken' huh? Lucy must have some serious backing outside of this school for her to scare my father like that.
// Lucy's POV //
It's just come to my attention that from this point onward things will be different from the original timeline now, with class D not facing class C in the paper shuffle exam things have shifted. Ryuen isn't as focused on 'X' as in the original, so his meeting with Ayanokoji will be delayed to a later date as he didn't just lose to him, but Sakayangi this time around.
In fact Ayanokoji may not come to Kei's rescue as there would be a longer time between them cutting contact and the 'incident' from the original plot.
"hey you three, I have a question. Are you familiar with the ripple effect?" I was of course talking to Ichinose, Sakayanagi and Hashimoto.
Sakayanagi was of course the first person to respond, "Of course, it states that every action causes a ripple effect that will change or effect the future in some way. I personally believe it has merit."
Hashimoto was the next, "Really? They had to make a theory about it? Surely it's just a given that it's true right?"
Ichinose had maybe the most interesting response though, "Really Hashimoto? You don't believe that fate has our futures already set in stone? That this very lunch will have a massive impact on our lives?"
"Actually Ichinose, with all my being I believe that the ripple effect is real."
Ichinose looked at me, "What do you mean?"
"I believe that everything I do matters, everything I do has an effect that may not have happened had I made different previous actions."
One such example of this is me sleeping in and going to school late leading to my death and thus entering a completely different universe than what I was originally in. Now that I think about it, I have the most effect on this world than anyone in it. All these people have had their every reaction predetermined meanwhile I have changed a lot of that with my very being around them.
I've saved people, I've forced people out from their home towns, I've taken people away from damaged homes, I've killed people, I've trained people, started an organisation, I've made friends with leader of the Yakuza, I've gotten people into the best highscool in Japan! I truly am the god of this world and it's inhabitants.
// 3rd person POV //
As the group of 4 continue their conversation, Lucy's delusions of self importance have sky rocketed and her mind fractured once again. Slowly but surely over the last 16 years her mind has split into pieces that are shattering into even more smaller pieces by the day. Without herself or anyone else realizing it, Lucy has gone down the rabbit hole and is only going deeper.
// Karuizawa's POV //
hm? A message from Kushida?
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
fumei_unknown
fumei_unknown Had some spare time so thought I'd write some more!
It is admittidly a rushed chapter but thought it would be better than nothing.
Hope you enjoyed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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