prologue part 1

"Well… this is as far as it goes.

I couldn't do it. I couldn't get to the Mastermind…

I'm sorry, everyone… 

I'm sorry, Rantaro.

I'm sorry, Shuichi."

***

Cold. Uncaring, unfeeling cold enveloped every fiber of her being, as if the girl were made entirely out of ice. It wasn't the natural cold of a chilly winter breeze; rather, it was like the very concept of heat no longer existed in her reality. An eternity passed without her notice, until one day, a realization occurred to her: why did she feel cold?How could she feel cold? She was… the girl's brow furrowed. What was she, again? She knew something important happened, something she should know, yet her thoughts always seemed to circle back to a numb blankness in her mind. It was around this same time that she realized she could feel herself breathing, and soon after began to hear it as well. The air around her was stale, but it felt heavenly for reasons she couldn't quite recall. Slowly, she felt her eyes flittering open, the total blackness she hadn't realized was surrounding her brightening into a dark grey. Pale light peaked through a tiny vent far ahead of her and seemed to beckon her closer. Step by step, the light grew closer and larger, until it was just a few scant inches from her face. She reached out to it…

… and let out an undignified yelp as she suddenly stumbled forward and fell flat on her face. An angry stinging quickly replaced the numbing cold in her body with a pained groan. "Geez… real smooth, Kaede," The Ultimate Pianist grumbled to herself before she shook her head in a vain attempt to banish the pain. Her knees felt scraped as well, but that was far less distracting than the bump on her head her clumsiness had given her. Sighing, Kaede forced herself to her feet, blinking the last remnants of sleep from her eyes. She went stiff as it occurred to her that the room around her was decidedly unfamiliar. It was a spacious yet cozy area with rose colored walls and carpeting accented by rich wood finishes. Much of the room was occupied by a number of large circular tables with immaculate white cloths draped over them and candles burning softly in the center. She could tell even at a glance that it must have been for a pretty large gathering, each table set for four people. To her left was a grand double door with a set of ornate golden handles. Akamatsu frowned a little. A mansion, maybe? It wouldn't have been the first time she performed at one, but why would she fall asleep in the dining room?

Before she could continue puzzling out the strange situation she found herself in, a horrid banging rang out from behind her, half a shriek managing to escape her before she caught herself. She turned to the source of the noise with a growing sense of worry. Before her stood a trio of lockers, the one closest to the wall having its door swung wide open whilst the other two remained closed. It was dubious how long that would last, however, as the rightmost locker was visibly and violently shaking as the furious pounding continued and the poor metal screamed out in protest. A strange sense of deja vu washed over her for a moment, but it was cast aside just as quickly as it appeared. "H-hello?" She called out. To her surprise, the pounding stopped. 

"... Someone out there? Hey, let me the fuck outta here!" A gruff voice called out from the other side of the locker. Kaede raised an eyebrow. Pretty vulgar way to talk to someone you don't even know, but considering the circumstances, she couldn't bring herself to be all that offended. 

"A-alright, just a second!" She replied, approaching the container. The pianist pulled on the handle and it opened to reveal a rather tall man with a bright orange pompadour and snake-like eyes that snapped closed as the light of the room seemingly caught him off guard. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Just fuckin' peachy," The man grumbled back, rubbing his eyes. He stepped forward out of his steel prison, Kaede stepping back in turn. After a few moments, he finally seemed to adjust to the light, his orange irises glancing around the room as confusion dawned over his face. "... The hell…?"

Kaede frowned once more. "Guess that means you don't know where we are or why we're here either, huh?" She said dejectedly. The man, whom she could now see was adorned in a flowing black coat and a plain white tank top, met her gaze.

"Was kinda hopin' you might. I know I wasn't invited, at least."

"Not invited? What do you mean?"

He chuckled a bit as he crossed his arms and looked around the room. "Fancy place like this? Yeah, somehow I don't think they'd be interested in inviting over the Ultimate Biker Gang Leader," He replied dismissively. He glanced back to meet her gaze again. "Name's Mondo Owada, by the way. Nice to fuckin' meet ya."

Kaede's eyes lit up in surprise. "You're an ultimate too? That's great! I'm Kaede Akamatsu, the Ultimate Pianist!" She cheerily replied. 

Mondo gave a firm nod in return before the biker moved to inspect one of the closer tables. "Piano, huh? Yeah, with an outfit like that, I guess I could see that. Don't know much about music, but that's kinda rad, I guess…"  Mondo picked up a plate in his hand and rotated it around, examining it from all angles, "Jesus, look at all this. This plate probably costs more than my hog. Must've been a helluva party I crashed."

"Do you usually wake up in strangers' houses?" She questioned semi-seriously. A short laugh escaped him as he set the fancy dinnerware down on the table.

"Happens more often than you'd think. The gang tends to go all out when we decide to have some fun."

Kaede smirked a little, rolling her eyes. "He must be a real delinquent if he does this on the regular. Honestly, though, it also sounds kind of fun..." She mused. Too bad the only times she ever actually ended up at a party were the ones she was commissioned to perform for. 

Before she could respond to Mondo's statement, a metal creak interrupted their conversation, causing both Ultimates to turn back towards the lockers.  There, they saw a bleary eyed girl slowly walking out of the final locker. Her light pink hair complimented her pale complexion, her head cocked to the side in clear uncertainty. Another step revealed a teal hoodie over a white dress shirt. 

"Oh, hello there. Are you okay?" The pianist asked. The girl blinked, a beat passing without a response. A small amount of sweat collected on Kaede's brow. "... Did she not hear me? Would it be rude to say it again?"

"... Yep, I'm okay." The mystery girl finally replied. She walked closer to the two Ultimates, gripping a pair of backpack straps that Kaede hadn't noticed until then. "... You guys are really loud. It woke me up."

"Ah, sorry. We're just a little confused right now..." Kaede responded, scratching at the back of her head.

The girl lazily rubbed at her eyes. "... It's fine… I'm just a little sleepy. Probably should have woken up anyway..." She waved off, practically yawning out half of the sentence. Blinking a couple times, she met Kaede's gaze. "... You said you guys were Ultimates, right? Kaede and Mondo?" the mystery girl asked, to which Kaede responded by nodding,  "...That's good. It's nice to know that I'm not the only Ultimate here. I'm Chiaki Nanami, the Ultimate Gamer… nice to meet you." Chiaki greeted with a small smile. Her slothish demeanor and voice seemed to strike a chord somewhere within the pianist, but the ahoged blonde couldn't seem to place where. Kaede smiled back regardless while Mondo gave a nod of acknowledgement. The gamer cocked her head to the side again as she examined the room. "...Do either of you know where we are?"

Akamatsu shook her head. "No, sorry. But… this is a little weird, isn't it? Three different people all showing up at the same place without any clue where they are or how they got there? All of them ultimates, at that?" Kaede pointed out. Mondo fixed her with an odd look.

"What, are you sayin' we got kidnapped or some shit? You'd have to be pretty ballsy to try something like that." The biker replied, though he didn't seem to totally dismiss the idea. 

"That's true, but…" She said, pursing her lips in a pout. Kaede turned to Chiaki to ask her opinion, only to be caught off guard as the girl pulled out a handheld console out of seemingly nowhere and began skillfully tapping away, the hums of digitized explosions and the chirps of eight-bit music reverberating the now silent room. Kaede deflated a little before clapping her hands together. "Well, we won't find out anything standing around here! We should go and look around!"

Owada stared at her. "... Tch. Guess we ain't got many other options… hey, you two. Stay behind me."

Kaede raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

The biker's eyes rolled. "You just fuckin' said we might've gotten kidnapped. If that's what happened, there's no way in hell I'm gonna let two girls get hurt by these pricks. That's a man's promise." He spoke with a level of conviction the pianist hadn't expected from someone as outwardly shady as him. 

"Don't judge a book by its cover, I guess," She mused. Giving a smile, she declared, "Ah, right. In that case, lead the way!" She pumped her fists supportively. Mondo didn't comment as he moved to the door and the trio made their way out into the corridor. It was as upper class as the room they left mere moments prior, though the sharp reds and whites had been swapped for royal blues and yellows. Golden trimmed curtains lined the tops of the walls, almost like a guide in a maze. "Wow… this place is beautiful. It's like a castle or something."

"Kinda frilly for my tastes. Too much pomp. Between this or my garage, I'd be with my bike every day of the week. I dunno. What about you… uh, Chiaki, right?"

"... It's nice, I guess. I usually just hang out in my room though, so I'm probably not the best judge for that… I think..." Chiaki replied as casually as Kaede had ever heard the gamer speak. Then again, seeing as how they had known each other for five minutes at most, that wasn't exactly a high bar. Chiaki looked up from her game for a moment, a part of the pianist relieved that Nanami was finally paying attention to something beside the console. The Ultimate Gamer was staring intently at a candelabra further down in the hall, oddly enough. "... Hey, we should smash that. An axe might pop out," she declared. Mondo looked back over his shoulder while Kaede stared dumbly at Chiaki, who elaborated after a moment. "... That was a joke. But it would come in handy if we had to fight Dracula…"

Kaede, deciding to humor the other girl, smiled wryly. "If we find a piano along the way, I could play some boss fight music."

The man with the orange pompadour grunted. "Stop fuckin' around," He muttered, though his voice lacked any actual venom to it. Pointedly ignoring Kaede's giggles, Owada continued to lead them through the seemingly endless hallway. 

***

Minutes ticked by with little fanfare or notable conversation, the only especially interesting event being a few locked doors that wouldn't budge even to Mondo's considerable strength. Kaede's initial appreciation of the decor was gradually turning sour, feeling less like a beautiful manor and more like a mockingly tawdry prison. Locked door after locked door was all that seemed to await them the further they went down the grand hallway until she started suspecting that they'd somehow started going in circles. Those fears were relieved, however, when the unlikely combination of ultimates finally stumbled across a staircase. It was just as posh as the rest of the rooms they'd seen thus far, with golden railings running alongside mahogany steps covers by a crimson red carpet that served as a guiding path. It likely would have been an impressive sight to behold if they had any idea why they were there to witness it.

"... Should we head up?" Chiaki questioned hesitantly, though whether this was out of actual fear or simply the girl's measured speech pattern was difficult to tell. It didn't help that her face was firmly glued to her game, hiding whatever expression might have hinted towards her true feelings.

"The doors down here were locked, so we don't really have a choice." Kaede countered as she crossed her arms and scrutinized the stairwell. Despite her eager and collected exterior, if she were being honest, Akamatsu's suspicions were beginning to turn into unease. Waking up in a foreign place with strangers was unsettling enough, but to not even come across another person outside of their trio in what must have been at least a quarter of an hour and finding nothing but locked doors was like the set up to a horror movie. Was going upstairs the best idea they had? They had no guarantee of safety when they first left the dining room either, but maybe it was better when they didn't know what to expect. If the next floor had more of the same, or worse-

"Gerrrrrow!"

be something serious. Maybe-"

"FOOLS! You were no doubt tempted by the siren scent of a lotus, and forsook your memories for the hellishly sweet taste of oblivion!" Gundham roared out, the accusing tone of his interruption backed up by his glare. "To cast aside a memory is to cast away part of your very soul. I pity you, poor mortals, for you will never-"

"Gundham, do you remember where we met?" Chiaki asked plainly, looking at him with a blank expression. 

Gundham threw his head back cackling, something he did so often Kaede had to wonder how he had any breath at all to carry out his monologues. "But of course, sinner! Our paths first crossed… it was our legendary battle at…" His bravado finally failed him as he frowned. "... Hmph. It seems I have fallen victim to a flayer of memory. It must have been a demon most powerful to pierce through my defenses…"

"I have to admire his dedication to his act, at least," Akamatsu thought to herself, simultaneously impressed and exasperated with Tanaka's antics. She turned to Mondo, who was sneering at the darkly dressed aristocrat while she glared daggers at him in turn. Sensing the tension between them, Kaede looked back to Tsumugi. "Sorry, could I have a moment?" She asked. With Shirogane's confirming nod, the pianist quickly made her way over to the pair, clapping her hands together positively. "Hey guys! Do you two know each other, too?"

Owada scoffed. "Yeah, I guess you could call it that. All the people I know, and it's gotta be Celestia fuckin' Ludenberg I run into? Tch. Some luck."

The girl, Celestia, apparently, turned from him dismissively. "Loath as I am to agree, I must concede, it seems my luck has taken a turn for the worse if I am stuck here with an E-rank such as yourself." Ludenberg passive-aggressively concurred. 

"Uh, wow." Kaede's expression hardened a little, crossing her arms at the other girl. "Hey, that's not right. You shouldn't put people down like that!" Akamatsu argued. Celestia turned to face her properly for the first time since the blonde made her presence known. As she met Kaede's gaze, her red eyes twitched so quickly that she wasn't entirely sure she didn't imagine it. The rush of confidence that had filled her mere momenta prior was now mixed with a distinct sense of unsettlement as Celestia looked at her as if she were a slightly annoying puppy.

"Is it not also improper to inject oneself into another's business without permission? Why, we haven't even been properly introduced. I suppose it is to be expected to some extent, given the circumstances, but it seems manners have been foregone nonetheless. Allow me to remedy this. I am Celestia Ludenberg, the Ultimate Gambler. However, I would prefer if you called me Celeste," She informed, her monotone voice nearly managing to sound both haughty and kind at the same time despite the clearly measured tempo she was giving it. After a moment of silence, Celeste's calm expression shifted into one of barely contained annoyance. "Would you be so kind as to return my courtesy, or would you rather I make up a name and talent for you?"

"O-oh, right. I'm Kaede Akamatsu, the Ultimate Pianist. It's nice to meet you," Kaede stumbled awkwardly, faking a smile. Celeste, thankfully, didn't seem interested in keeping up the conversation any longer than they had to, bowing out of their tense exchange almost immediately after with a tersed out 'likewise'. She turned to Mondo, rubbing the back of her head awkwardly. "Geez… she's kind of intense, isn't she?"

Mondo scoffed once more, still glaring bitterly at the gambler as the ultimate in question spoke with a less than interested Chiaki. "Tch. That your way of saying she's a bitch?"

"Mondo!"

His fierce expression softened a little, a glint of amusement dancing in his narrow eyes. "What, am I wrong?"

Akamatsu found herself smirking a little despite herself. "... I didn't say that, either. Still, more people is probably a good thing, even if they're…difficult . Gundham seems alright, if a bit eccentric. I know Tsumugi, too, so I think we're good there. Uh… this might sound weird, but do you remember where the two of you met?"

Owada seemed to consider it for a moment before gaining a puzzled look on his face. "Actually… come to think of it, I don't. We ain't exactly running in the same circles, you know?"

"Hmmm… I don't really have any idea why that could be. I doubt it's good, though," She explained. Now that there wasn't a fight nearly breaking out right in front of her, Kaede took the time to give the room a once over. While every room they'd come across thus far was definitely fancy, this room in particular seemed especially high-brow. The flashy blues and yellows of the hallway were replaced by far more reserved greens, reds, and browns, the room bathed in gentle candlelight from an ornate yet tactful chandelier that hung from the center of the room over a sizable table. A few simple but comfortable looking couches littered the room. Three long since abandoned lockers lined the back of the wall next to a long line of various cleaning tools, ranging from washing and drying machines to several different kinds of vacuums to some devices Kaede hardly even knew how to describe. She was hardly a neat freak, but she was glad to see that whoever ran cleaning in this place took it seriously. If she could just figure out what 'this place' was and why she was here, it would probably be lovely. Of course, that task had just gotten a little less daunting. 

She shifted her focus back towards the new faces of the room. Celeste, apparently having finished with Nanami, had secluded herself away from the rest of the party, gracefully sitting in one of the sofas. She could almost be mistaken for a doll if it weren't for an occasional blink. Meanwhile, Chiaki and Tsumugi looked to be in a rather animated conversation about something as the pair huddled around the portable game machine. Much to the pianist's amusement, she could just make out Gundham lurking behind them, trying his best to look stoic and mysterious even as he rather unsubtly watched the Ultimate Gamer play out of the corner of his eye. A peculiar feeling of nostalgia took root inside the young maestro at the scene. It felt so very familiar, like her heart was a hot air balloon that suddenly found its flame, yet it was distinctly different from the joy she got from witnessing the grinning and cheering faces of her audience. It was something more akin to seeing people recreate a cherished photograph. A photograph that she couldn't quite picture in her mind or recall who was there or why it was taken, but that was beside the point. Witnessing the seeds of friendship beginning to plant among her fellow ultimates gave Kaede a sudden burst of confidence to propel them all forward. Clapping her hands together, she declared, "Alright, guys! I think we should stick together and explore this place! Who's with me?"

Unsurprisingly, Tsumugi was the first to agree. "It's what plainly makes the most sense to me. You don't win alone, that's just how it is… actually, that quote sounds kinda cheesy out loud. But still!" Kaede's close acquaintance cheered, earning a grateful smile from her.

"That makes four… hey, ice dude, what about you?" Owada queried. The man in question had closed his eyes, appearing deep in thought.

A low and considering hum reverberated from Tanaka. "Hmm… so, the Siren's High Priestess and those under her thrall seek to stray further into the maw of hell itself… HA! Be it courage or foolishness, your tenacity intrigues me! Very well, I, Gundham Tanaka, the Supreme Overlord of Ice, shall lend you my strength! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The boisterous sorcerer howled out, striking a dramatic pose that sent his scarf and coat billowing out behind him. Kaede blinked. After a few seconds, his manic grin began to fall from his face. "... Ahem. The master of four Dark Devas of Destruction, the devourers of countless worlds, has just sworn to aid you. It would be unwise to ignore such an advantage…" He grumbled, looking somewhat cross. Realization struck the pianist as she finally managed to decipher his insane word salad.

"Ah! Thank you, Gundham! And your cute little hamsters, too."

The Overlord of Ice chuckled knowingly. "Ah, I see that even one as powerful as you cannot pierce their veil of illusion. These are no ordinary hamsters. These are the four Dark Devas: San-D! Jum-P! Maga-Z! Cham-P! They are ancient and powerful beings merely taking the guise of hamsters to better observe the mortal realm."

Kaede truly hoped that she didn't look as boggled as she felt. "Calling himself an overlord of ice, saying I'm a siren or something, gods disguised as hamsters… how does he come up with this stuff?"

Wordlessly, the group turned to the final unaligned student in the room. Ludenberg's sharp gaze lingered on each of the ultimates for but a few moments per person, her carefully composed expression completely masking whatever the gambler was thinking. A quick glance around the room proved Mondo and Gundham both flowering at Celeste to varying extents while Tsumugi and Chiaki looked about as curious as she felt. It wasn't really a matter of actually wanting Celestia around; their introduction and actions before they entered the room told Kaede more than enough to know the two likely wouldn't get along. Rather, it was mostly fueled by her increasing unease and suspicion of her surroundings. If she was right and something bad was happening, she couldn't justify leaving someone behind like that, not even the terse and troublesome aristocrat. Finally, Celestia gave a small nod as she rose from her seat. "Very well. At the very least, it is likely safer to move as a group than to stay by oneself. I shall follow your lead for the moment."

"You won't regret it. I promise. Is everyone ready?" A chorus of various levels of affirmation answered her question. Satisfied, she turned and led the procession out of the room. Upon leaving, she turned her attention to the doors that stood on either end of the hallway. To her right was what looked to be an old Japanese shoji door with a symbol she didn't recognize emblazoned onto it. It peaked her curiosity given the far more western influences most of the building seemed to take, but the musician decided to save it for when they circled back around given her group had already come from that direction. To her left, however, was a room that practically screamed to her at the end of the hall. White and black keys of a piano formed a door that stood out like a sore thumb against the more customary color scheme of the corridor. 

"Is that… a music room?" She murmured to herself. Despite their situation, a small amount of excitement rose in her heart at the prospect. The collective clacking of six sets of feet made the vast hallway feel far less lonesome than it had the last time despite the nearly overwhelming size of whatever this place was. It seemed larger than almost any concert hall or estate she'd ever played at. Besides, things just weren't adding up. After all, a building this large and this well maintained, yet she'd encountered a grand total of five other people? It brought her no pride to admit that she was becoming more and more confident in her kidnapping theory. Ultimates were practically celebrities, some of them literally so. Managing to take one as a hostage would probably come with a pretty big ransom demand. Multiply that by six… she shook her head. They'd find out what was going on, and if it was what she feared, they could overcome it together!

… at least, that's what she wished she could believe.

After a couple minutes, the group arrived at the threshold of the odd room. Up close, the piano door was even stranger than it looked from a distance. The sharps and flats were clearly three dimensional against the natural keys that made up the door itself. The white keys also had tiny, nearly invisible lines that separated the stems and keytops, something that would have meant little to most yet served as a major clue to the Ultimate Pianist. She carefully traced her finger along the door to test her suspicions and her eyes went wide as they were confirmed. "What…? This is ivory. A lot of it. Geez... I can't even imagine how much it would cost to make an entire door out of this stuff. Whoever owns this place has expensive taste."

"And a vile soul at that. To even consider how many great leviathans of land were slaughtered to create this mockery… they will rue the day they insulted Tanaka the Forbidden One!" Gundham sneered, glaring darkly at the overly ornate entrance. The thought brought a frown to the pianist's face. She'd always preferred ivory keys for their sound, but now that he mentioned it… it was far from a happy thought to say the least.

Celeste cleared her throat politely. "Ahem. Debates about cost or ethics aside, I believe it would be best to simply open the door. That is what we are here to do, no?" The gambler pointed out. Kaede shook her head a little to refocus herself.

"Right. I don't hear anyone, but they might still be stuck in their lockers or something," She justified aloud. It totally wasn't fueled by wanting to play some of her worries away on a piano, not even a little. A small painted doorknob blended in almost perfectly with the white keys. Her skilled hands wrapped around the handle, twisted, and… click clack click! It jiggled in place, refusing to budge an inch. Akamatsu couldn't hide the disappointment from her face. "All that build up just for it to be locked? What rotten luck…" The musician complained to herself. So much for that song… she shook her head as she turned back to her crew. "It's locked. Guess we're not getting in there."

"Um… maybe I'm just plainly being silly, but he looks pretty tough. Do you think you could break the door down or something?" Tsumugi asked Mondo. The ultimate in question glanced at her with thinned lips.

"... Fuck it, might as well give it a shot. Get back." Owada instructed, cracking his knuckles. He started towards the door before Kaede or anyone else could get a word of protest out, a six-foot tower of pure muscle on a mission. Akamatsu took a couple steps away on sheer instinct, too stunned to voice her concerns. Some instinctual gut reaction was screaming that it would be a bad idea, but she couldn't find the sense to say as much. Owada was mere inches from the intricately designed doorway by now, about to ram into it with all of his considerable force-

The sound of something slamming into metal reverberated from down the hall to their right. "God damn it, open up, you useless hunk of crap! " A man's faint shout followed soon after. The group spun in surprise instantly. Suspicious and startled eyes flicked to one another, none quite sure what to do or say. After a few long moments, Chiaki spoke up.

"... There's someone up ahead. We should go."

Kaede leapt at the opportunity. "Yeah, that's right. We can come back to this later. Come on, guys!" The apparent leader of the group declared. She pushed her momentary dismay to the back of her mind as she tried to focus on why that voice struck a chord with her. Like a song that she didn't know the name of, it rang just enough bells for her to know that she should recognize it while staying just short of actually being identified. Frustratingly unlike a song, she didn't have an ultimate talent that would let her perfectly replicate it to jog her memory. It was trapped in an infuriating loop in her mind that simply refused to leave. Even as the others began into idle chit chat, it kept bouncing around in her skull. So little was adding up, despite the pieces standing there in front of her. Her encouraging beam remained steadfast on the outside, even despite the growing hole of uncertainty pooling in her stomach.

***

"How fuckin' big do these hallways have to be?" Mondo grumbled under his breath. At this point, Kaede was inclined to agree. They had been walking for at least five minutes straight without any sign of anyone else, or even any twists or turns in the stretching corridor. It wasn't unlike the extravagant hall they had found themselves in on the first deck in that regard, yet it seemed so much emptier despite having twice the amount of people. Between the size of the place and the ridiculously classy decorating, it was beginning to feel like they'd been kidnapped by a billionaire or something. It was an unlikely idea, but it was also unlikely to wake up surrounded by strangers and people you shouldn't know yet somehow do, so Kaede wasn't comfortable completing dismissing the idea for now. 

"Perhaps a curse has been placed upon us, forcing us to transverse in circles for all eternity."

"Trapped in a hallway that goes on forever? That sounds like a pretty neat idea for a story, actually." Tsumugi offered positively, seeming to miss the dark lord's subtle sarcasm. At least, what the Ultimate Pianist was pretty sure was sarcasm.

"I played a game like that once. It was pretty cool… but they canceled it and made a slot machine instead." Chiaki piped up, a hint of bitter disappointment in her voice as she went on. Akamatsu, not being particularly familiar with whatever game Chiaki was talking about, instead picked up on an opportunity to learn more about the least talkative member of their group.

"Slot machine, huh? Do you think you ever played it, Celeste?" Kaede asked less out of genuine curiosity and more as an olive branch to the gambler. It was possible they just got off on the wrong foot, after all. She'd made rockier introductions into friendships before. She glanced back to the girl in question to see her giving a small shake of her head.

"I cannot say for certain, but I have my doubts. I tend to prefer more skill based games. Poker, blackjack, high stakes mahjong and the like. Much of the thrill of gambling is predicting your opponent's thoughts and moves. Betting against a machine is simply nowhere near as interesting." Ludenberg explained. Kaede was encouraged by the trace of genuine interest in the black-haired girl's response.

Nanami looked intrigued. "... I've only played poker in games. Is it different in real life?"

"If they portrayed the rules right, you'll likely understand the basics, at least. However, there are many subtleties in a match that can only truly be known by playing for yourself. Perhaps I could arrange such a thing, should you prove interested." 

"Now we're getting somewhere!" Kaede thought excitedly. The sextet's back and forth continued for quite some time, chattering about whatever happened to come to mind. Most of it tended to be either Chiaki and Tsumugi debating about the newest games or Gundham going on another rant, both with occasional additions from Kaede and the others (namely Celeste threatening the dark mage more than once). Eventually, though, the sounds of jostling and pounding metal and echoing grunts became decidedly too close for her to ignore any longer. It sounded like they couldn't be more than maybe a few dozen meters away, hidden behind the corner of a left turn. Holding up a hand, the maestro stopped and turned to the others. "You guys can hear that, right?"

"It's rather hard to miss. Chiaki's earlier statement is undeniable: someone, or something, awaits." Celeste pointed out nonchalantly. The darkly dressed girl narrowed her eyes, putting a hand over her mouth as her gaze danced over each student. "... Considering what's happened so far, it's not unreasonable to think there might be danger ahead. One of us should go first and see."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Kaede questioned, raising an eyebrow. 

Ludenberg's expression was almost completely blank, a poker face truly befitting of the Ultimate Gambler. "Kaede, was it? We've been brought to an unknown place, likely against our will, and have been left to fend for ourselves. Our kidnappers could very well be the ones making such noise. They wouldn't care about being quiet, after all."

Kaede's lips turned downwards. "Well, that's true, but isn't that all the more reason to stay together?" She offered hopefully. Celeste gave a little shake of her head.

"Quite the contrary. Don't you think people crafty enough to capture multiple Ultimates would be intelligent enough to be armed? We cannot pretend to know what they have in store for us, or if they're willing to kill some of us to achieve it. Perhaps they will open fire the moment they see us, or perhaps they're more of us. It's impossible to know unless one of us is willing to take a risk."

Mondo sneered at her. "What, you think one of us should be a damn sacrificial lamb for you? Fuck that pussy bullshit. We stick together. If the bastards that kidnapped us are up ahead, I'll rip'em to fuckin' shreds myself!" The biker declared, clenching a fist. Celeste looked remarkably unimpressed.

"It's not a matter of cowardice. It is merely basic logic. Why go all in when you don't even know your cards? I will not pretend I wish to be the one to confront them, but between possibly losing one or losing everyone, I'm sure even you could understand which choice is better."

Shirogane raised up a finger as she spoke. "Um, sorry, but I call 'not it'. I'm plainly a little bit scared, honestly…" The cosplayer meekly added, a somewhat guilty look crossing her face. Akamatsu sighed. That… wasn't surprising, coming from Tsumugi, but it didn't help the blonde's unifying efforts in the slightest. She refused to let that uncertainty show, however.

"Chiaki, what do you-" A soft snore cut her off, Kaede glancing to her left to find the girl in question rather impressively asleep on her feet. She could only stare in bewilderment. "Uh, Chiaki? Hello?" Kaede called out, extending a hand towards the other girl and tapping her shoulder. Nanami didn't seem to give any hint that she'd even felt it. She scratched her head awkwardly."How is she even doing that…?" She pondered. After a few more seconds of unresponsiveness, Kaede simply turned to the next in line. "Geez… I guess she really is sleepy. In that case, what do you think, Gundham?"

The heterochromatic teen stared for a few moments in clear thought, his mismatched gaze shifting between herself and Celeste. "... Though her true intentions are shrouded in a blackened veil of mystery, the Ebon Witch's words ring true. The weight of one life cannot compare to that of five. A sacrifice must be decided on if we are to move forward."

Owada moved his glare to the Ultimate Breeder. "You volunteerin'?"

The Overlord of Ice smirked at him. "As if mere mortals could ever hope to bring about the end of Tanaka the Forbidden One. If I'm to meet my end, it would only be through world-ending calamity! So yes, Mondo Owada, I am indeed prepared to unleash upon these fiends complete pandemonium!" Gundham roared.

"Stop fuckin' yelling!" Owada shouted back, completely oblivious to the irony.

Chiaki's head snapped up, her pink eyes looking at them blearily. "... Huh?"

Sensing that it was getting out of hand, Akamatsu quickly reasserted herself in the conversation. "Guys, wait!" She interrupted, the two arguing teens stopping and turning to face her. Satisfied that they were paying attention, she continued. "We don't know for sure that whoever's up there is bad. We shouldn't pick a fight where there doesn't need to be. If we are splitting up, it should be someone who can handle themselves, but less… intense. You guys should stay behind with the group. I'll see who's there."

"No fuckin' way! I already gave you my word I'd protect you, didn't I? A man's gotta fulfil his promises, or he's less than nothing!" Owada's response was as quick as it was predictable. His protective loyalty was appreciated, if completely unnecessary to her. Still, his chivalry was quickly becoming a problem. Akamatsu crossed her arms.

"I'm not a little kid, Mondo. I can handle myself if I have to." She said firmly.

The biker scowled. "I wasn't saying-"

Kaede shook her head. "It doesn't matter. Just… trust me, okay? I'm not planning on dying today. I promised we'd escape together, and I mean it."

His expression was hard to read. The orange-haired Ultimate had a slight sneer, though it lacked any malice for her in specific. His snakish eyes flicked over her uncertainty for a few tense moments before his scowl deepened, hanging his head with a sigh. "... If I hear anything goin' down, I'm hauling ass over there, alright? Don't do some stupid bullshit that gets us killed."

She managed a small smirk at his foul-mouthed promise. "I'll try not to. I'll be back soon, so stay safe, guys." She instructed, getting a few nods and words of encouragement. She ignored Chiaki sluggishly asking what was going on as the pianist made her way down to the corner and hung a left, finding herself in a wide yet notably shorter hallway. Of course, 'shorter' by the standards of this place still meant that the passage was massive. She could see a trio of blurs at the end of the hall seemed to be responsible for the noise if the now significantly louder groans and grunts of effort were anything to go by. Kaede cautiously began her approach, trying her best to hide her footsteps amongst the racket up ahead. They were maybe a hundred and fifty feet away from her by the time she could finally start making out details. At the end of the corridor stood a large metal shudder that reached from the carpet to the ceiling, the steel glinting brilliantly in the artificial light. Kaede could make out what looked to be another staircase sealed off behind it similar to the one her group had climbed just half an hour prior. What was more of interest, however, were the three people examining the gate. She could only see their backs from her current position, but she could make out some details from where she stood. One of them was incredibly large, practically a ball on legs dressed in a grey blazer and no-doubt uncomfortably tight dress pants. His brown hair was well combed aside from a solitary but massive spike in the center. It almost made him look like an exclamation mark, but she quickly dismissed the somewhat joke as quickly as it came to her. His size made the young woman next to him almost look malnourished in comparison. Flowing braids of silvery white hair stood in harsh contrast to her black uniform and tights. Still, by far the most intriguing thing about her was the large swordsheeth slung across her back. "Wow… is that a costume, or is she actually the Ultimate Ninja or something?" 

The final person was hunched over to grab the bottom of the gate. If his groans of exhaustion were anything to go by, he must've been trying to pull up the shudder, and had probably been at it for some time. His spikey midnight purple hair complimented the lilac coat that hung off his right half like a cape. The sight of him made a sense of relieved joy bubble in her, even though his name seemed to be stuck on the tip of her tongue. "I don't believe it's going to move any time soon. We should try a different route." A feminine voice suggested. The familiar man tsked at her.

"C'mon, you two are my sidekicks, aren't you? You guys should be helping me out here." He chastised.

"I never agreed to such a thing."

"That's beside the point. The point is the impossible is possible if we work together! Hifumi, Peko, grab on and pull up on the count of three!" He proclaimed animatedly. She smirked. That was so… whatever-his-name-was of him. The big guy, most likely Hifumi, took a couple steps back while shaking his head.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I can't do that, Mr. Momota! I'm still sore from the last attempt!" He complained.

Hearing the name was like a slap in the face. Of course, how could she have possibly forgotten him?! He was Momota, as in- "Kaito!" She called out grinning. The three by the gate swirled to face her, Peko grabbing for her sword while Hifumi let out a shrill and piercing scream that had her hands flying to her ears in an instant. Kaito visibly cringed at the noise, but once he caught sight of her, he broke out into his trademark massive beam.

"Hey, if it isn't another one of my sidekicks! Good to see you, Kaede!" The Ultimate Astronaut called back. Their mutual recognition seemed to bring the warrior to a pause, freezing halfway through pulling her weapon out. Hifumi's shrieking had thankfully come to an end, though he still looked like he was on the verge of having a heart attack. Momota held out a hand to calm them. "Guys, chill out, I know her. Did you manage to find anyone else here?"

Oh, right, she should probably let her new friends know what was going on, shouldn't she? "Come on out, guys, it's a friend!" Kaede instructed her group. The others stepped forward from the hall and joined by her side. For the first time since her arrival, Hifumi gained an expression beyond pure terror.

"Ah, Ms. Ludenberg! I-it is an honor most fine to be in your presence again! How may I be of service to you, my mistress? Fehehehe…" The portly boy announced in a voice that made Kaede's gut twist. A quick glance to Celeste confirmed she wasn't the only one unnerved by him, a new level of tension peaking through Ludernberg's composed facade.

"... I see. We are in hell. That is the only reasonable explanation for us to possibly meet again..." The gothic girl spoke slowly and evenly despite her harsh words and the slight furrow in her brow. Hifumi either didn't hear or didn't care about his words as he kept grinning (in Kaede's humble opinion) creepily at his supposed 'mistress' with every step she took towards him. "I suppose there is nothing to be done. You remember your place, I presume?"

Akamatsu stared at the pair in mild concern."That… does not seem like a healthy relationship…"She thought to herself as Celeste all but dragged an all too eager Hifumi to a more isolated position from the group. Peko barely seemed to care about the ordeal, keeping her nearly glowing red eyes moving behind her stylish spectacles to each and every one of them as if they'd suddenly attack at any moment. Kaito, on the other hand, looked somewhere between horribly confused and a little sick. "Um… that aside, it's good to see you too, Kaito. And to meet you, Peko. I'm Kaede Akamatsu, the Ultimate Pianist."

Pekoyama gave a short and respectful bow. It was a touch surprising, given her previously standoffish demeanor, but it wasn't unappreciated. "I am Peko Pekoyama, the Ultimate Swordswoman. It's nice to meet you, too."

"Swordswoman?" Kaede echoed, looking wide eyed at the other girl. "That's really cool! Would you mind if I watched a little after we figure out what's going on?"

"Count me in, too! It wouldn't be right for a hero not to train with his sidekick, right?" Kaito added helpfully.

Some surprise flashed across the silver-haired woman. "'Really… cool'? I… yes, that would be fine. It's merely unusual to find people with such an interest in it."

"How could anyone not be interested? I mean, you've gotta be incredible to be an Ultimate at it, right? You're practically a samurai."

Peko frowned slightly. "I have a frightening aura about me. Most sense that and choose to keep their distance. I have simply come to accept this over the years."

Kaito's fists slammed together as he gained a determined look. "Yeah, well, not from us! I can tell you're a good person, so I'm gonna believe in you, no matter what other people think. Right, Kaede?" The astronaut proudly declared. His enthusiasm was positively infectious as the pianist's own hands formed in their signature pose.

"Yeah, that's right! Kids at my school used to call me Piano Freak, so I kinda know what it's like to be treated differently because of your talent."

The swordswoman closed her eyes. "I… thank you. Once our situation has been resolved, it would be my pleasure to show you my abilities." Peko agreed. It was astounding to Kaede how quickly she switched between intimidating warrior and a somewhat shy teenager. Regardless, the seeds of friendship were planted, and she looked forward to seeing it blossom.

A low chuckling that had already become indicative of the so-called Overlord of Ice bellowed from behind her. As expected, Gundham stood with his arms crossed dramatically and a dark smirk playing across his lips. It was almost funny how much it contrasted to Chiaki's relatively bright color scheme and simple if genuine smile as she stood next to him. "The Swordmaster of Asura's Spirit, trapped in the same gilded cage as I? Heheheh. Causality has an interesting will indeed…"

Nanami's greeting was a far less dramatic, "Hey, Peko."

A small hint of tension seemed to leave the woman in question as she dropped into a less defensive posture. "Chiaki, Gundham. Under better circumstances, I would be glad to see you both again. As we are, though… I doubt the reason for our reunion is a happy one. We should be careful."

"Indeed, there is a dark aura permerating every inch of this place. But if we are to overcome its fiendish tricks, we must also know well those who would join by our side. Pekoyama, who is this mortal cloaked with the night sky?"

Peko and Kaede both went to respond only to be cut off by the man in question. "Why, I'm Kaito Momota, Luminary of the Stars! From crying children to vile villains, everyone admires the Ultimate Astronaut!"

Gundham blinked, staring blankly ahead for a moment. His thinned lips suddenly exploded into a mile wide grin, thunderous laughter drowning out all other sound in the room. "BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! How rare for another to address me by their true title! Very well, Luminary! Before you stands Gundham Tanaka, the Supreme Lord of Ice, master of the Four Dark Devas of Destruction and the unholy spirit of the Forbidden One! Beware, for I am evil incarnate! Do you think you could possibly defeat one as ancient and powerful as I, mortal?!"

Kaito looked as horribly confused as Kaede felt, and for a brief moment, she had a flickering hope that maybe Tanaka's rambling would simply end then and there. Those hopes came to a crushing end when Momota grinned back and threw his coat out behind him with a pumped fist. "That so? Well then, guess my sidekicks and I are just gonna have to show you how it's done! Our fight will span the entire universe; a battle of two men's ultimate passions!" The astronaut proclaimed. Akamatsu pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Are you guys seriously having a monologue-off?" She grumbled, glaring up at Momota warningly. He didn't seem to mind in the slightest, however. A glance to her side showed Peko had simply walked away from the conversation and stricken one up with Tsumugi, Celeste, and Hifumi instead. Or, rather, stood awkwardly as the cosplayer fangirled over the swordswoman's title and appearance while Pekoyama attempted a conversation with Ludenberg. Mondo leaned against a wall with crossed arms, an annoyed sneer crossing his face more and more as the two showmen continued their vapid debate.

"But of course, sinner! I am an unstoppable force confronted with an immovable object, and neither of us shall surrender!"

"It'll be just another chapter in my epic tale! I've defeated the toughest bad guys on land, air, and sea. Only fitting I beat a baron of hell before I conquer the stars!"

Kaede groaned into her hand. "Celeste was right; this is definitely hell..." She grumbled. It went completely ignored by the two boys as they continued their so-called legendary duel of overly dramatic barbs and brags. The pianist positively refused to acknowledge the hint of amusement poking through her exasperation. She damn sure took care not to let it show on her face. The last thing she wanted to do was encourage the pair. Momota could be pretty over dramatic at times, but now that he had someone with just as much of an active imagination and the same taste for monologues, there was no way the astronaut would ever let himself get one-upped by the self proclaimed embodiment of evil. 

She felt a poke in her shoulder, pulling her attention towards the petite figure next to her. "This'll probably go on for a while," Chiaki pointed out noncommittally. She reached into her pocket and pulled out two nearly identical handhelds only distinguishable by their colors. Kaede recognized the dark blue as the one the Ultimate Gamer had pulled out during their initial meeting while Nanami held out a hot orange variant towards her. "... Wanna play some Gala Omega?"

After a brief moment, Akamatsu accepted it, handling the unfamiliar device awkwardly. "Thanks. I probably won't be very good, though. I don't think I've ever actually played one before." The pianist warned. Chiaki gave a small shrug.

"Talent isn't everything. It doesn't matter if you're good so long as you enjoy the time you spend with others… I think." Her pink haired friend said casually as she flipped on her handheld with practiced, Kaede clumsily parroting the motions. Her expression fell a little.

"You don't seem to be very sure of your opinions..." Akamatsu noted drearily. The screen in front of her lit up brightly, a few seconds of colorful logos streaking across it before swapping to an equally flashy menu screen appeared. It took her a moment to find the arrow pad, but she quickly scrolled down to the section labeled two players. "You shouldn't be afraid to say what's on your mind without downplaying it. A little bit of confidence goes a long way."

Chiaki's lips curled slightly. "... It's not like that. I'm not scared. It's just better to leave things open."

The blonde leader considered it for a moment. "Maybe, but sometimes you have to take a firm stance and you can't have any doubt."

"... If things get that bad, it means I already let it get too far," Nanami lamented softly, an unexpectedly regretful sheen in her eyes. It disappeared as quickly it showed up, replaced by unwavering resolve in the blink of an eye. "But I think that's enough sad stuff. Ready?"

She wasn't exactly eager to drop the topic, but the same evidently couldn't be said for her companion. She considered pressing it further at first, but the odd aura coming off her new friend gave her pause. As often headstrong as she was, Akamatsu could tell when an approach wasn't working. Forcing the conversation would probably go badly. Plus, she couldn't claim to know Chiaki well enough to justify such nosiness yet. Instead, she made a note of the odd reaction and shifted gears. "Yeah, let's give it a go!" She agreed, pressing the select button and entering the match. 

To say Kaede got crushed would be harsh, but completely accurate. Her exceptional finger work did little to help her against Chiaki's relentless marauding. Time after time, her ship exploded in a hail of lasers and missiles that claimed the pianist's lives alongside any chance of victory. In truth, she could hardly be distinguished from the NPCs, just another lamb for the much more experienced player's slaughter all while the same fierce look of determination stayed stuck on the pink-haired girl's face like a mask from beginning to end. It was easy to see how Nanami had claimed the title of Ultimate Gamer if this was how she performed in a casual match. Despite getting handed losses hand over fist, though, she couldn't deny that it had probably been the funnest thing she'd done in a while. She surprised herself with just how invested she got in her attempts to best her opponent. By the time the pair finished the final round,she could definitely feel her heart pumping a little faster than normal, an excited energy still dancing in her fingers. The sheer gratification she'd gotten out of it came as quite a pleasant shock to the self-proclaimed piano freak that never bothered trying anything else. Plus, it served as a window to a new side of Chiaki when the girl was in her element. It was almost enough to make her forget the dire circumstances of their meeting. Nonetheless, she looked at Nanami gratefully. "That was actually really fun. We should do it again some time!" 

The shorter student looked pleased as she slipped the handheld back into her hoodie. "Sure. I'm up for a rematch whenever."

Before the conversation could continue, the sound of approaching footsteps caught the pair's attention as they looked to find Kaito walking towards them. His verbal sparring partner was notably absent. "Hey, Kaito. Did you out-monologue Gundham?" Kaede teased. Kaito pumped a fist, a wide grin on his face.

"Damn right! Like anyone could beat the speeches of the Ultimate Astronaut!"

"Knowing Gundham… that doesn't sound likely... I think." Chiaki pondered.

"Anyway, you guys finished? I was trying to get this gate open earlier. Me, Peko, and Hifumi couldn't get it up, but there's a lot more people here now. Wanna help give me another shot?" Kaito asked with one hand on his hip and the other shoving a thumb towards the barrier in question.

Kaede took a second to study the gate. The steel glimmered slightly in the bright fluorescent light like the ocean under a full moon. It was clearly well-maintained, not a speck of dust or rust to be found anywhere on it. It didn't look that heavy, but it didn't look light, either. Still, as she glanced around at the gathered Ultimates around her, she was confident in their odds. "Sure thing! How about it, guys?" Akamatsu backed him up cheerfully.

"... I still do not think this will work, but I will assist." Peko reluctantly agreed, uncertainty clear on her face.

Momota shook his head. "C'mon, believing is half the battle! You gotta have spirit!" He proclaimed with slamming fists. He shifted his radiating enthusiasm to the others. "Well? What about you guys?"

"... Sure, why the hell not." Owada drawled, cracking his knuckles. 

"It stands no chance against the dark arts of the Tanaka empire!" The dark mage declared, his hamsters popping out of his collar and raising their paws in support.

Tsumugi wrung her hands a little, looking downward. "Um, it plainly seems like the only option we have…"

Celeste shook her head slightly. "It would be a waste of my time," She dismissed. Flicking her hair back carelessly, she ordered, "Hifumi, you do it."

"Yes, my queen!" The Ultimate whatever Hifumi was all too eagerly declared. Kaede tried to suppress a shudder.

A number of expectant eyes turned to Chiaki, who gave a weak shrug. "Okay."

Kaede beamed in approval. Their reactions were more positive than she had honestly expected. Eight out of nine wasn't bad at all! "Alright! Let's do it!" With that inspiring declaration, the pianist and her allies gripped the barrier and shoved up with all their might. After a solid fifteen seconds of effort, however, it became abundantly clear to her that it wasn't working. After thirty seconds, she couldn't keep going, nearly tumbling over as she tried to regain her footing. Her fingers were an angry shade of red with a slight ache passing through them that made her cringe. She wasn't the first to give up, nor did she prove to be the last. Slowly but surely, the others grunts of effort turned into groans of frustration moments before they too stopped trying. Kaede scowled at the metal as if she could intimidate it into submission.

"What the hell is with this thing?! There's no way it shouldn't have gone up between all of us!" Kaito shouted, slamming his foot against the grate to little avail.

"I don't think we're allowed to sequence break here. Whoever put this gate here probably didn't want us going any further… maybe we have to do something before it opens up?" Chiaki suggested with a tilt of her head. No sooner than she said that did harsh static suddenly blare out from every direction as parts of the ceiling and walls folded open to reveal a number of TV screens. There was a monitor every 20 feet or so, each of them showing the same ominous red lightning bolt that seemed to shimmer against the pitch black background. Something about the sight made her skin crawl for reasons she couldn't even hope to explain. The bing bing bing of a digital bell and a squeaky voice that erupted from the screens soon after didn't help.

"Ahem, ahem, is this thing on? Alrighty! I am pleased to announce that all students have awoken! Please gather in the ballroom to meet with your fellow classmates at your earliest convenience. I wouldn't dilly dally too long, though! It's rude to keep people waiting. Puhuhuhuhuhu…" The far too reminiscent voice declared moments before the static image suddenly flicked to a map of some sort. A large red dot labeled 'you are here' sat across the hall from a long rectangle marked as the aforementioned ballroom with an arrow that read 'go here'. 

"... That's a little ominous…." Chiaki noted with a hint of worry in her brow. Kaede stared at the map scrutinizingly, uncertain between her suspicion and intrigue. On the one hand, it was pretty clearly a trap of some sort. Whoever was on the TV… whoever the mastermind was… wanted them to go there. Wait… mastermind? Where had she heard that term before? The familiar nothingness she felt trying to recall how she knew Tsumugi returned, much to her chagrin. Kaede scowled at the monitor. None of this made any sense. How the hell did she know these people? Why was she here? Why-

"Yo Chiaki, Kaede? You guys are coming along, right?" Momota's voice carried to her ear and snapped her out of her thoughts. Her eyes shot up to find him and the others waiting expectantly in the direction of the room the map specified, apparently having split off while she was lost in her own head. Kaede gave a quick affirmation once the brief startledness passed. Worrying about that wouldn't get her anywhere right now, no matter how much it weirded her out