The slender, almost wiry teen let out a small sigh. The monorail appeared to be having track problems, and the operator stuttered a slight apology over the intercom about the delay. As the train soon regained stability and sped along on the cool spring night, the boy tugged at the snowy collar of his uniform. As a blue butterfly in the moonlight came slowly into focus, despite for only a second's length of time, the boy let out an almost silent whimper and moved a hand to his chest. He had felt an acute stabbing sensation that had pierced his heart the second he laid eyes on the sleeping city and the haze like insect. The sensation soon dissipated, and the boy shrugged it off, figuring it to be nerves, nothing more. After all, he was transferring to a new school in a new city. If only he had known the true cause of that pain and the trials that were to follow… perhaps he would have just stayed put on that train, and the abysmal outcome of this event could have been avoided…

As I disembarked the monorail, an announcement on the station's PA stated my destination was Iwatodai Station. It also added in a cool tone that the last train bound for Tatsumi Port Island was now boarding and would soon depart. I made my way over to a vacant seat near the ticket machines and sat down for a second, letting out a small sigh. I then set my duffel bag next to me, it's camouflage material worn with age and use. Ever since I was a boy, I had moved around quite a bit, shifting from family friend to distant relative. It was strenuous, and I was always asked a large amount of stupid questions every time I entered a new school. I would simply put on my headphones and ignore the askers. I didn't feel like sharing answers to personal things like that with them. Don't get me wrong… it's not that I'm timid… it's just… I prefer keeping to myself most of the time. Despite that, I usually attempt to show a friendly exterior, seeing as that's what grandfather told me to do. I had only packed the essentials, seeing as most of my stuff was staying at the mansion I had inherited from my Grandparents in Germany. It was a funny thing… they were both in peak health, but… one stormy night, I thought I heard a distant scream in my sleep… the next morning, both of my dear grandparents were unresponsive, a blank and bleak look on their faces. They were rushed to the hospital, but they soon passed from this world after that, leaving me alone, with only money to comfort me. It's true what they say… money can buy a lot of things, but happiness isn't one of them.

Shaking my head to clear it of these petty thoughts, I reached into a side pocket of the duffel bag, taking out a beige envelope that had the symbol of my new school emblazoned on it. I pulled out a small map that showed directions to a dorm where I would be residing. The map stated that it was a privately owned coed dorm. At first, I was slightly apprehensive about this, coed can only lead to unfortunate tensions or situations. However, being a diligent and obedient boy like my grandmother wanted, I accepted these terms as what was my fate. I would simply be on my best behavior and attempt to keep to myself, like usual. I pulled my red thirty gigabyte zune out of my pocket, and checked the display. The clock stated it was about two minutes to midnight, so I grabbed my luggage while beginning to ascend the escalator to the ground floor. Humming along quietly to "I heard it through the grapevine", a favorite of Grandfather's, I made my way to the entrance of the station.

No later than when I had cleared the escalator and ticket booths, a sudden blackout occurred. I glanced around, slightly confused; even my zune had stopped working in mid chorus. All was quiet, and I decided to step outside to take a look around. A small gasp left my mouth as I gazed to the sky, which took on an eerie emerald tone with a bright sulfur colored moon majestically presiding over this mysterious area. Small clouds of olive smog blew around the ground, as it appeared I was the only one around. I made way down the block and then laid eyes on the most shocking sight yet. Many crystalline objects resembling coffins littered the street, all casting dark and foreboding shadows in the moonlight. Pulling my mute headphones off and leaving them dangling by my neck, I placed my zune back into my blazer's pocket, along with the blue leather neck strap for the device. I took another look around, I thought I was dreaming. Something like this… couldn't be real. I took a few more steps along the crosswalk as a wet slap emanated from under my engineer boots. I slowly glanced down, my mouth opening slightly as I had stepped into a large pool of what seemed like blood. Glancing around again, I saw pools like this littered all over the ground. Taking a deep breath, I decided to hustle to the dorm, I saw it just a few buildings down.

Grabbing the ornate handle, I opened the door with a slight creak coming from the hinges. I stepped inside, shutting and locking the door behind me, since it was so late at night. Letting out a sigh, I shook my head; I must have just been tired which would perhaps cause me to hallucinate. As I pondered the state of my mind, a voice coming from my right snapped my attention back to a reception desk near the door. "You're late… I've been waiting quite some time for you… you really shouldn't dawdle so much… it would put you behind schedule if you aren't careful." A small boy in what looked like a stripped prison uniform scolded me while wagging his index finger. I stared at him for a second as he peered back at me. He sat cross-legged on the counter, a soul-less look in his pale azure eyes. He braced his elbows on his knees as he seemed to be appraising me, a creepy smile growing on his face. He then reached behind him, pulling up a red folder and set it beside him, placing a quill on top of it. Jumping down from the counter, he pointed to it. "If you wish to continue, please sign your name on the dotted line. Don't worry, all it says is that you'll accept full responsibility for your actions… y'know, the usual stuff." He smiled again and stepped aside.

I made my way over to the counter, and picked up the contract, attempting to scan it before simply signing it like a fool. Most of it seemed straightforward, until one clause came to my attention. "I chooseth this fate of mine own free will and will abide by whatever end it may bring." I attempted to rack my brain to make sense of this, but I couldn't draw a conclusion, which was odd, for someone as academically gifted as myself. Shrugging, I signed the contract and handed it to the boy, who then opened the folder and looked over it.

"I, Wesley Helsing, accept full responsibility for the choices I make, the fate I have been bestowed, and the consequences that arise…." He read my name with the clause where the dotted line was located. He then glanced up at me, gifting me with another chilling smile. He then uttered a small phrase I was barely able to catch. "Time waits for no man, it delivers all equally to the same end. You can't plug your ears or cover your eyes from this truth." He then stepped back into the shadows of the room as he turned the red folder which suddenly vanished. "And so… it begins." He chuckled as he was enveloped by the shadows as well, and I was alone in the lounge.

I pondered the boy, wondering if he was another hallucination caused by nerves or fatigue, but before I could give it much thought, a strong shout startled me.

"Who's there?!" a female voice called from somewhere in the room.

I glanced around, attempting to find the source as my eyes fell onto a teen girl. Her hair was chestnut brown, she wore a pink knit cardigan and a small skirt, along with stockings and brown loafers. Her hazel eyes glared at me from under her slim eyebrows as she frowned and reached her right hand to her side. I broke my gaze for a second to follow her hand, and noticed a gun strapped to her thigh, her hand twitching near the stock. My mind began racing to come up with something to say, but my mouth seemed to malfunction, as I stood there, watching her, wondering if she would dare pull out the lethal tool.

She made a sudden movement, starting to pull out the gun, as I winced, expecting to be shot with no reason. However, another voice told the girl to halt in a harsh, commanding tone. The girl obeyed as she looked over her shoulder.

I looked to that direction as well. Another girl stepped out, her dark crimson hair cascading down the back of her blouse as her knee high boots thumped softly on the thin carpet. She also had a gun; however hers was on a belt around her ebony skirt. She glanced at me for a while, a grim frown on her face as she just seemed to wait. A few minutes passed, the brunette looking between the taller red head and myself, a bit of distance away. Suddenly, the power turned back on, as my zune picked up where it had left off.

The older girl let out a sigh of relief and smiled. "Good." She simply said and walked over to me, the brunette following like an obedient dog. "I didn't think you'd arrive so late. You must be our new dorm mate." She said in a slightly warmer, but still oddly formal tone.

"Correct. As of today, I'll be residing here during the school year." I said, showing her the flyer, still keeping my guard up, after all, I was at the mercy of two armed and possibly dangerous women.

"I see. We're sorry to have startled you… these guns… they're for self defense. You know how it is these days." She chuckled, while I didn't think it was too funny. "I'm Mitsuru Kirijo, a senior at your new school. It's a pleasure to meet you." She said extending a hand which I shook. I had to admit, she was stunning. She had a dignified air and an elegance I could hardly describe. She then turned to the brunette behind her. "This is Yukari Takeba, she'll be a junior this year, like you. I hope you two get along." She said, glancing at Yukari.

"Oh… hey, nice to meet you, Wesley-kun." Yukari said, bowing slightly. She seemed to be still shaken up.

I nodded in response and then turned back to Mitsuru. My Japanese was foggy, I was mostly used to German so I had forgotten all about honorifics. "Frauline Kirijo… may I ask… where is my room?" I had said before I realized my mistake of talking in my most common tongue. However, Mitsuru chuckled, she apparently had understood me. "It is upstairs." She smiled, then turned to Yukari and stared at her for a second.

Yukari sighed. "Fine… I'll show you the way, come with me." She said turning on her heel and walking to the stairway. I picked up my bag and followed her, passing Mitsuru and ascending the stairs, my legs felt like lead and my eyelids were heavy. We soon came to a doorway at the end of the hall.

"This is your room, room twenty one. Pretty easy to remember, since you're at the end of the second floor hallway, huh? Just don't ever lose your key, or you'll never hear the end of it." she smiled, seemingly a bit more comfortable around me. She then glanced at the ground, a somber expression on her face. "Hey… on your way back from the station… was everything ok?" she asked, looking at me.

"What do you mean?" I asked her. Is it possible that what I had experienced was not a hallucination? I shivered inwardly at the thought.

"Um… never mind. Listen, I know you probably have tons of questions, but how about we wait till tomorrow, ok?" she asked attempting to treat me to a friendly smile. She then coughed slightly and muttered good night before walking to the stairway and traveling to the third floor.

Sighing to myself, I opened the door, slinging my bag to the side and collapsed onto the soft bed, I would unpack tomorrow after school. I felt exhausted, and soon drifted off to a deep sleep.