A/N: This is a fic i wrote after the last episode of Angel Beats! aired. I'm sure everyone, just like me, felt unsatisfied with the ending and story in general. It could have gone on longer than 13 episodes (plus one bonus episode coming out in the dvd).
The general story for this fic is that after the SSS left the world of purgatory, a new bunch of students entered the World. But all isn't normal, as the Angel Player program that alters the NPCs went berserk after Yuri failed to shut it down properly. This resulted in a large amount of Shadows being formed. The newcomers do not understand much about the World, and upon finding the things left over by the previous SSS, they take up arms to defeat the Shadows.
I posted the idea on the forum i frequent, , about writing this fic, and also tossed around the idea of having a game based on Angel Beats! This fic is following what i think a great game for Angel Beats! should be like.
- Creating customizable characters
- Create customizable weapons
- Fight unlimited number of enemies
- Currencies would be Food tickets, dirt and essences (will be explained in later chapters)
I have drawn 6 OCs to help me visualize, and also explained about their characters, past, and weapons. You can see it all here (add the http yourself and change the words into actual symbols):
flamingnoodletoiletbowls(dot)wordpress(dot)com/original-character-designs-part-1-kurogane-kou/
The other five are in the tabs above the blog.
If you want to have your own character inside my fic, you're more than welcome to send me a mail or review. Please include the following:
-Name (it can be initials as well, like TK)
-Personality
-Weapons
-Catch Phrase
-History
-Drawing (if you want to)
Unlike the anime series and the novels, my fic is darker in nature. The new SSS (dubbed SSS2) do not have the leisure of fighting only one enemy. Their fighting an army of Shadows who constantly appear to attack them, so there will be a lot of fighting. But i'm also including other activities that the SSS also did.
This fic also includes the reincarnated SSS members in their new World.
There are also many cameos from other anime/manga/key productions/games. If you know the reference, feel proud about yourself.
Disclaimer: I do not own Angel Beats! It ALL goes to Key, Aniplex, and Maeda Jun (genius... pure genius, he writes, he composes and he directs... how much more perfect can you get?). HOWEVER, all OCs belong to me.
Angel Beats!
What We Die For
Chapter 1
Awakening
I opened my eyes. All i could see was the night sky. What was i doing here? Why am i on the floor? I sat up, scratching my head as i tried to reorganize my thoughts. I looked around, noticing the nearby building had the lights turned on. Was there something there? In the first place, where was this place? Where am i? I looked down at myself, and saw that i was dressed in some sort of uniform. A school uniform? Was this a school? Am i a student here? If that's the case, then why was i lying on the floor like that?
"Hey, are you alright?"
Another person came running to me. Dressed in similar styled attire, the young girl that came towards me seemed to be slightly... different. For one, it wasn't that she looked odd, rather quite the contrary. She was quite beautiful to look at. But what seemed different was her presence. She gave of a feeling of... regret. It was hard to describe how or why i could sense such emotions from her, but somewhere in my gut it told me so. Another thing that was odd about her was the fact that she was carrying a gun. A sniper's rifle to be exact. What in the world was she using that for? The girl offered me a hand, which i took and she helped me up to my feet. She stronger than i thought.
"Thanks... Don't mind me asking if this sounds weird but... do you know where this place is?"
The girl stared at me for a moment, before nodding her head in some sort of agreement with her inner self.
"I guess you're one of us. Tanaka was right, then."
The girl slung her rifle over her shoulder and pointed towards the other end where there were more buildings.
"This is a school. More specifically, this is a school for the dead. More like the afterlife."
School of the dead? Afterlife? What sort of movie had she been watching recently? And just how badly had she hit her head?
"You don't seem to believe me. Do you remember that you died?"
Died? Me? Impossible. I'm alive right here and now. I can feel my body, i can breathe normally and-
"... W-who am i?"
I came to realize that i forgot my own name. What was i doing before lying down on the floor? The girl rubbed her chin thoughtfully.
"So, you are one of those who forgot everything. Well, not exactly rare around here, but not that common either. Can you remember at least something?"
"... Ku... Kuro... Kurogane... Yes, i think that's my name... Kurogane."
"Hmm, Kurogane. First name?"
I tried to think back, but nothing came to me.
"I can't remember."
"That's alright. Anyway, we're gathering up in the gym. Come on, i'll lead you there."
The girl turned to go, but somehow i just can't trust her words. I just can't believe that this is the afterlife and also being a school for the dead. The girl seemed to sense that i wasn't following, and she turned around.
"Well? Aren't you going to follow?"
"I still can't believe that this is the afterlife, i mean, how can you prove it?"
The girl sighed, shaking her head in dismay. What? Did i say something wrong? I'm sure that what i just asked was within the boundaries of what is normal of a situation like this.
"First off, i can shoot you in the head or heart and you won't die. Want me to test it out?"
"Are you nuts?"
"No, I'm being quite serious. But anyway, you wouldn't want to keep loitering around here in the open. Soon 'they' will appear."
Okay, now I'm confused.
"Who's 'they'?"
"Well... them."
The girl pointed towards my back. I turned around, and saw what seemed to be black smoke. No, it wasn't smoke. It had a humanoid shape, large and somewhat menacing feel to it. Fear ran throughout my entire body as i could not find myself able to move. The 'smoke creature' took slow steps at first, but then its pace quickened, aiming straight for... me.
"Get down!"
I felt a hand push me down onto the floor, and the impact of my head crashing into the ground was enough to make my head spin. All i heard was gunshots before i blacked out completely.
I awoke once more, staring up at a ceiling. At least this wasn't outside in the open. I got up from what seemed to be an infirmary bed, and started to recollect my thoughts. Was it all a dream? I turned and saw a familiar face sleeping soundly with her head on the bed and an equally familiar weapon in hand. Guess it wasn't a dream after all. Thinking back, i had to wonder what was that large shadow? It wasn't like anything i had seen before. Just what was that? The girl mumbled something as she slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes. Her unkempt hair falling slightly past her shoulders.
"Ah, you're awake."
She yawned, getting up from her chair and stretching out her arms.
"You hit your head pretty hard yesturday."
If i recall properly, it was you who pushed me down to the floor. But still, there were many things that i did not get. Like the fact that this was the afterlife. I still didn't buy that story. To me, this girl is simply crazy. That shadow creature? A figment of my imagination. Yeah, that's what it should be. The door to the infirmary opened and a bunch of students rushed in, carrying what seemed to be an injured student. Blood. The moment i saw it my mind froze. I felt sick just seeing it. The girl noticed that i was hunched over and covering my mouth.
"Are you alright?"
I took a moment, before nodding. The feeling was subsiding. But why did i react that way?
"It must be that you had experienced some traumatic event in your past with blood. Anyway, this scene is something you'll have to get used to."
"Yuki."
The girl looked at at the call of her name, and saw a guy standing by the infirmary doorway, carrying an assault rifle. What was this, a battlefield? Considering the number of firearms and yesturday's events, i think it would qualify under such.
"Jin, what happened?"
"More of them appeared by the science room. Took us by surprise and managed to injure Souji."
Jin explained, pointing to the injured student who was laid down on the bed next to mine. His blood was soaking the sheets, but the other students who brought him here did not bother to stop the bleeding, just grab bandages and wrapping the wounds clumsily. I'm guessing no one has any experience with first aid. Seeing such sloppy work made me slightly irritated, and i don't know what snapped in my head, but i jumped out of my bed and pushed the students aside, taking off their messed up first aid work.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?"
One of the guys demanded. I simply grabbed a nearby gauze, applying pressure. I ignored the others as i cleaned the wounds and started to bandage it properly. The wounds was rather deep, and with so many of them all over this kid's body, i won't be surprised if he died. Dead. I checked his chest. His heart was still beating like normal. But with the amount of blood he lost, surely his heart would have gone into arrest. That was when i noticed that several of the small cuts were beginning to close up. Right before my eyes. Regeneration? Now this was getting into the realm of the ridiculous.
"You know first aid?"
One of the girls asked. I grabbed a nearby wet towel to wipe my hands of the blood. The sight still left a sour taste at the back of my mouth. To be truthful, i didn't know what went through me. How did i know what was the proper procedure for first aid?
"I know only this much. Where did he get such wounds?"
I turned to asked the group, who only looked at each other, then back to me.
"By the shadows, of course."
"The shadows?"
"You don't know?"
They asked me in a surprised tone. As if it was common knowledge. It isn't to me.
"Shadows are the things that attacked you last night."
Yuki explained, walking up to me.
"There is much that needs to be explained. Why don't we go for a walk?"
I felt like i didn't have much of a choice.