Natural Selection

AN: I'm big into correcting past mistakes as of late. Let's make this something worthwhile.

Chapter 1: Sigh No More

Honnouji Academy had never been famed for its beauty. Even the mansions on the upper echelons were designed around sharp utilitarianism, aiming to cram the maximum number of potential students into its protective, albeit ultra-competitive, bastion against the madness of the outside world. But the city had previously retained some form of grace, what with its clean edges and perfectly positioned buildings. Now, it had been reduced to a warzone. Here, in the One-Star accommodations, the tightly packed, uniform grey pillars of apartments were scarred with slashes of wild graffiti. Some rang out call signs, claiming territory for this gang, or that club, the difference between the two a faint line these days. Between the larger murals, smaller declarations of unruly independence. Phone numbers for seedy engagements, promises of death to the reader, assertions that a student had simply been in the area once, and could think of no better legacy than to scrawl their name on public property. And yet, despite the displeasure gnawing at his respect for proper public morals, he could not find it within himself to blame whoever had written their name and run. It seemed to have been the final act of a student joining the fate of many others who had been promised protection, only to find themselves betrayed.

The cold grey streets of Honnouji were dyed thick with blood these days.

It rose up with each heavy footstep the cloaked figure ground out on his uphill climb, remnants of former students kicked up about his heels and clinging to the bottom of his boot. The red dust settled for only a moment, the man staring at the long road ahead of him. To the peak, pulsing a crimson heartbeat.

"Never again."

The promise was little consolidation to the whispers behind him. Always behind, lurking in the places he could not reach, no matter how he tried to come to terms with them. They refused engagement, fleeing on the wind. You did this. She rules because of you. This blood has spilled from your hands. If only you had been strong enough to hold it all.

With a weary sigh, the man kicked up dried flakes of red once more, servos whirring as he continued his ascent towards the gates of hell.

"In 1933, the National Socialist German Worker's Party came to power. This was the birth of Chancellor Hitler. Eventually, Germany's post-war democracy gave rise to fascism."

The students were barely clinging on through the lecture. A good proportion had succumbed to post lunch tiredness, resting their heads behind open textbooks. Even those keeping attention were doing little in the way of notetaking. Hard to blame them really, what with the reality of another Naturals Election on the horizon. Nevertheless, he persisted. If even one of the No-Star students learned from history's mistakes, maybe his time spent undercover would have been worthwhile.

The scratch of a dry lesson etched out in dry chalk was brought to a thudding halt as the heavy classroom door was knocked upon twice, slamming open with a tongue of purple carpet rolling out in front of the assembled desks. There was no student found sleeping as rainbow flashes lit the gloom. At the snap of fingers, One-Star students flooded into the room, twin lines of authority announcing the arrival of their leader. But for all the flash and thunder, the girl that stepped in after them was rather slight, maybe shoulder-high to the shortest member of her entourage. The Three-Star girl who would be queen walked her personal catwalk; a purple ermine cape awkwardly attached to the lapels of her uniform.

"Excuse me, we're in the middle of- "

Two students had him by the arms before he could finish the protest, dragging him to his knees so that the Disciplinary Chair could look him in the eye. She adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses, pressing the rounded head of her customary staff of command to his lips.

"Hush down. I'm here on official business."

DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE CHAIR: MAIKO OGURE

"Now then, students of second year, class K, rise for your empress."

The students scrambled to their feet at the sharp tap of Maiko's ornate gold and black staff on the carpet, the bladed globe atop it standing a foot taller than its wielder. Only one person had ever mocked the disparity between weapon and user, and hallways whispers said you could still find the soot outline on the outer walls, if you had the stomach for it. A rare display of public force from the council member. Normally her arrival was the signal that one of the faces in the class simply wasn't turning up again for lessons the next day, their name struck from the register. Maiko adjusted her glasses once more, her eyes hidden in the reflective glare.

"We have determined that there is someone who intends to harm Honnouji Academy among you. As such, this filthy traitor is to be punished immediately. Now, as all explanations will go completely ignored, I suggest you save my precious time and hand yourself over now."

There was a long, pregnant pause, broken by the eruption of smoke.

The Spy From Osaka was trapped in a world of frustration. He'd gone for the stairwell, only for the door handle to be electrified. He'd smashed through it bumbled into a bear trap. The stairs had been littered with rakes, landmines and thumbtacks, forcing him to don his stolen goods ahead of time. The power of the Goku Uniform had seen him through the worst of the bedlam, but the newfound strength he'd acquired had been drained as he'd had to dodge, endure and dismantle every step of the way down. Breaking out into the main courtyard, he'd almost felt home free, right up until the ground collapsed out from under his feet. Twisting his body around bamboo spears, he found himself staring up into a golden corona of light, spilling out across Honnouji Academy from the transformed Maiko Ogure, slowly descending from on high with purple coattails trailing in the wind.

THREE STAR GOKU UNIFORM – EMPRESS REGALIA

The white, unflattering uniform had transformed into a skin-tight, golden suit, the awkward cape now a regal trio of high society tails that suited her perfectly. A platinum tiara adorned her brow, her face suddenly made up as if a master artist had applied every inch of pale foundation and purple lipstick. Golden heels made touchdown as he extracted himself from the pit.

"You know, even with such a shoddy trap like a tear gas grenade, I'm almost impressed that you're still standing. Still, we both know who's really to thank for that, don't we? Amazing, the strepower that can be obtained from even one miserly star for a nobody like yourself. You've seen it's defensive power, so how about taking a swing?"

Even after the beatdown he'd suffered, the thrum of power still ran through his veins, throwing him forward at Maiko, standing with arms wide open. But, just as fist was about to rightfully connect with her smug smile, she vanished in a cloud of smoke, a log clattering to the ground where once she'd stood.

"Nice try, but too obvious. And far too much difference in our talent."

The heavy globe rocked his head with a meaty whack from behind. All power to his legs lost in an instant, the spy crumpled into the grip of a multifaceted runic glyph left in her place. Lightning roared through his body, flesh singeing as arcs of energy ran in wild abandon. Thoroughly blackened to a crisp, ropes wrapped around his joints, spinning him clean out of the uniform and depositing it neatly into a clothes hanger dangling from Maiko's staff. The student body was gathered at the windows now, banging and braying for judgement to be passed down upon the traitor. And Maiko had no intentions of disappointing her people. The bladed globe split open; a microphone concealed within.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Once again, I, Maiko Ogure, have defended Honnouji Academy from those who would undermine and overthrow our illustrious society! So long as I sit in the Disciplinary Chair, no law breaker, spy, traitor or Nudist shall oppose us, for they have not even one one-hundredth of our strength! The power given to us by our queen!"

Summoned to the fore, blood-red light flooded the courtyard, washing out from the spire at the heart of the academy. Maiko's golden glow was extinguished in the wake of its arrival, as the student council president's presence wormed its way into the core of everyone watching. High above the reach of any student, a pure white heel snapped into place. The call to attention from all, with no man able to turn his head away when beckoned.

Armoured plates covered every inch of skin, raising up in twin spires erupting from her shoulders. From them, piercing orange eyes stared down with cold indifference, a harsh contrast to the manic grin on the face of the alien outfit's wearer. Running a gauntleted hand through black and red strands, the ruler of Honnouji Academy took up the mantle of preaching.

"I shouldn't have to give you the pitch at this point, but just in case you're a newly enrolled transfer student: Fight. Every living creature has to do it. Fight for survival, for food and shelter. Fight for a future, for prosperity and to stay on top. Or fuck it, fight, because fighting is so much god-damned fun. But in order to fight, you need power. And power can't be stolen, borrowed or bartered. Those who try to take shortcuts, those who want to leapfrog past their station, those that don't understand how powerless they are, they have no business standing on my stage! And they- "

She cut out, staring past Maiko, to the cloaked figure standing behind the elite. The battered former student hung under his arm.

"Hey buddy, I think you're confused. The Naturals Election ain't until next week. You won't get paid just cause you put that little shit outta my misery."

"I am well aware of the date, Ryuko Kiryuin."

The low voice that rumbled from within the robes carried just as much force as the rapturous calls from on high. Maiko fumbled a step back without even realising, pulling herself together as the hood was lowered. Pale scars cut across the dark skin of the stern young man, glaring up at Honnouji's peak, to the woman hissing venom back at him through clenched teeth.

"After all, I have come to set Honnouji back its rightful course."

LIFE FIBER HUNTER – IRA GAMAGOORI