Hope’s Peak Academy. The largest, possibly most impressive school in the country--potentially the world. A bastion of hope and optimism in the cruel every-day world, the Academy and the government have worked together to invite only the most hyper-skilled of teenagers throughout the nation.

This school isn’t in pamphlets; your parents don’t sit you down to discuss applying here. You’re invited by the Academy or you don’t go is how the story goes. You super-excel in your field of study or athleticism, or...well, you have to figure out some other incredible school that’s meant to guarantee success upon graduation.

Speaking of which…

//CG: A group of teenagers in graduation caps and gowns, rendered in a blurry nostalgic quality. Their cheerful expressions face toward the future, enthusiastically greeting what's to come.

I can’t believe I get to be here for this. It’s time for us to spread our wings and fly, with the guaranteed success the institution offers. I’ve always wondered if that was based off of the name of the Academy or the education it provides but...I guess I’ll find out soon enough.

The ceremony is over. It’s time to walk through the doors of the Academy and leave forever. It’s time to start life, for real now. I can’t believe it’s over…

//CG: A shot of our protagonist and a friend walking toward the door, not in graduation gowns, arms over each other’s shoulders, laughing. Light is pouring through the door they’re about to exit.

I can’t believe it’s over…

…

......

............

SHUJI: Wow, the afterparty must’ve kicked my ass…

I clutch my head to try to counter the dull throbbing sensation.

SHUJI: I don’t even...remember it…

I get to my feet and check out the other people in the room. Some punk looking kid is with a secretary-type checking out a really fancy door, and behind me is a terrified looking trendy-type on the stairs. I feel like I should recognize these people but...

ROXXY: Wow! You aren’t like, dead! I kinda thought you might be dead but Soga-chan, bless his heart, noticed that you’re breathing and stuff. So, not dead! But now you’re also awake!

I look at the new girl blankly, a faint memory stirring in the back of my head. She’s familiar to me, certainly, but I have no idea who she is. I’m so sluggish, I’m actually starting to get concerned.

SHUJI: [Nervous] Awake, definitely. Not dead?

I shrug meaningfully.

SHUJI: I’m not so sure yet, actually.

ROXXY: Oh! You’re funny! Say, sleepyhead, do you know where we are?

SHUJI: Where we...what? What do you mean by that?

YUI: [Looking over her shoulder] Rose-san means that we all woke up here, just like you, with a bad headache and no memory of arriving here. The front door is locked and the windows are barred. It’s a matter of...Some concern.

I look around the room for the first time, really. It’s obviously nice digs, but those thick iron plates on the windows are not giving me a good feeling about all of this.

SHUJI: So...we were kidnapped?

ISEI: Seems that way.

YUI: We are, after all, high profile people. Recent graduates of Hope’s Peak must have hefty ransom prices, wouldn’t you say?

ROXXY: [ Crossed arms with pout] Well aren’t you all a bunch of paranoids? You’re gonna scare people talking like that! This is obviously just a HPA prank. [ Looking down with smile. ] Classic HPA…

ALENA: I don’t remember any pranks while I was in school…

This is the first time I’ve heard the girl speak, to my recollection, but she has a point. And she looks like she’s about to cry. I may not know what’s going on, but I can at least try to help her out.

SHUJI: That’s...actually a good point. Are we all the graduating class? I don’t...actually know any of you.

ISEI: I recognize you.

SHUJI: No, no, I recognize you too, it’s just...I don’t know any of your names, or what your talents are, or have anything beyond the faintest recollection that I should know you.

YUI: I’m afraid I’m in the same boat. I know certain things about myself; I’m a graduate of Hope’s Peak Academy, I am the Super High School Level Personal Assistant, and my name is Yui Suzuki. I know I’ve been attending the Academy for three years. I just… [Sharp frown.]

She pauses.

YUI: Don’t remember any of those years.

ISEI: Do you believe that something’s amiss yet, Rose-san?

Roxxy shakes her head.

ROXXY: [ Pouting.] So what? Maybe the school is doing some post-graduation bonding event. We have to do a scavenger hunt to find the clues that’ll unlock our memories. [ She gestures emphatically. ] The school is like, swimming in cash! Of course they can do some wacky nonsense to our brains for fun!

ISEI: Does a token of caution really do any harm, though? Say you’re right, and the school is doing some mind game with us. What’s the worst that can happen if we think something bigger is going on?

She looks genuinely hung up on that question, biting her lip before she answers.

ROXXY: You’ll scare people.

She has a point, too. I’m not sure I buy the “wacky brain nonsense” bit, but looking at the girl near the plants...maybe it’s best we keep our worries to ourselves.

SHUJI: Hey, what’s your name?

ROXXY: [Shocked.] Me?

SHUJI: Yeah, you. I don’t know about this scavenger hunt, but we might as well start with introductions. My name is Shuji Saji and I’m the Super High School Level…

Uhh...that’s a good question. What IS my skill? I wrack my brain trying to find the answer, but I’m at a loss. I trail off, trying to remember, but she doesn’t wait for me to fill in an answer.

ROXXY: That’s a super idea, Saji-chan! My name is Roxxanne Rose, and I’m the Ultra-Amazing-Fantastical Stage Magician. Roxxy for short, if you wanna be friendly!

While I can’t remember having officially met her before (though I must have, right?), I do know a little bit about that name. Before five years ago, nobody cared about magicians. It was a birthday party thing for rich kids, but little else. Roxxy Rose brought magic into the mainstream--everyone’s seen bootleg recordings of her shows. It explains why she seems so much more familiar to me than the rest.

SHUJI: It’s nice to meet you, Roxxy-san. Say, why don’t you go try to find those memory clues? If you’re right, you can get back to us and let us know what we’re doing here.

ROXXY: Hmm, well, I would, but that sounds pretty patronizing. Actually, I will anyway, not because you told me to but because it’s a good idea and I am right, so you’ll see in a bit.

Roxxy leaves, her shoes clacking loudly on the tile.

YUI: I believe I already introduced myself, but I shall again. People often forget the names of The Help , as it turns out. My name is Yui Suzuki, and I am the Personal Assistant.

My memories of her are more elusive. I guess I can be held responsible for being up to date on pop culture, but I don’t know about assistants very much...I feel bad for not knowing more. Perhaps seeing the confusion on my face, the punk rocker steps in.

ISEI: Suzuki-san is famous for personally assisting loads of difficult to manage people. Am I getting that right? I think I heard about you winning an award for it, too.

YUI: Some difficult to manage people, yes. I am most notable, I believe, for assisting the Katayama family. It is loyalty for which I am famous, in addition to my skill.

SHUJI: Oh! That sounds pretty impressive. I’m sorry I wasn’t familiar with your work.

YUI: I recognize your face, but I don’t remember your skill at all. Would you mind divulging that information?

Mild panic sets in. Everyone else seems to remember their title; I’m pretty worried about being the only one left out. Should I keep it a secret that I’ve forgotten? What if that somehow implicates me? I’m probably being paranoid but…

SHUJI : [Nervous laugh.] Don’t you think it’s better to guess?

What a weak cover up!

YUI: Hmph.

She turns back to the door, tracing the stained glass insert with her fingers.

I don’t think she bought it. Oh well, she’s not pressing further so I guess I’ll count my blessings.

ISEI: I’m Isei Soga, Biographer. I’ve talked to a handful of the others, and we all do seem to be from the same class, if that helps.

I’m not as big of a reader as I used to be, but I recognize the name Soga. It’s in the front window of every bookstore in Tokyo, attached to books about criminals and other notable figures. But mostly criminals. With his sense of fashion that’s...a little scary. Still, he seems nice enough…?

SHUJI: Well, it sounds like something! A clue, maybe?

ISEI : [Thoughtful.] Hmm. Yeah. Maybe. I’m gonna go find the others, ask ‘em some questions and see if anybody knows what’s going on.

YUI: I’ll follow. I’m sure Kyo has an idea or two of how to solve this problem.

It doesn’t occur to me to ask who ‘Kyo’ is until both of them have left the room. Now it’s just me and the frightened looking girl.

It looks like she’s pretending she can’t see me...Better go about this gently.

SHUJI: Hey, I don’t think I caught your name.

ALENA: Alena.

SHUJI: Alena? Is that a surname? You don’t look Japanese.

ALENA: I’m...I’m Greek. Alena Agyros. Given name-surname.

An uncomfortable pause.

SHUJI: So...you like plants?

[Alena stares.]

Smooth talker, that’s me. She looks like I just said something rude. I’m at a loss here.

ALENA: Yeah...I like plants. I’m the Super High School Level Urban Gardener.

I’ve actually heard quite a bit about her. The gardener who was about to change the world--sustainable at-home urban gardening for the poor? It was incredible. I think everyone in the city had tried some of her tricks, even if they were watered down a bit. She’s a genius for plants.

SHUJI: Oh, I’ve heard of you! I mean, I guess we had class together but since none of us can remember that…

ALENA: You’ve heard of me? Hmm.

SHUJI: All good things, of course!

ALENA: ...Of course…

This conversation feels like a dead-end. Still, I can’t just leave her alone in here.

SHUJI: Do you have any idea what’s going on here?

It seems like the only conversation starter anyone’s gonna be using today, but it works.

ALENA: ...No.

SHUJI: ...Oh…

Another long pause. I’m starting to get discouraged; I can feel myself deflating in the face of her silence. Ultimately, though, she relents.

ALENA: I was looking at the plants, seeing if I could figure out where we were based on them. [ She shrugs. ] They’re just peace lilies, though. They’re pretty common all over the world, so I’m not even sure we’re still in Japan...Beautiful, though…

SHUJI: Wow! I mean, you didn’t learn a lot from them, but you thought to look and that’s smarter than I’m being right now.

We both smile at each other; although her smile is nervous and mine borders on prideful.

She’s just shy. I think everybody can understand that.

//LANI comes rushing in

LANI: Oof! Soga-kun said you’d woken up! What are you two doing in here all by yourselves?

SHUJI: Talking about plants, mostly. Who are you, by the way?

LANI: [Proud, hands on hips, grin] Pi’lani Ozaki, Solar Technician Extraordinaire! Man, that intro never gets old. At home, folks call me Lani!

I may not watch the news every day, but I’d have to live under a rock not to remember the Pi’Lani Ozaki that rushed from the US to restabilize the power grid after a major nuclear power plant melted down. He’s brought solar power to lots of low-income neighborhoods in Japan, and has stayed around since the meltdown to make sure that kind of thing doesn’t happen again.

LANI: You’re Saji-kun, right? And...Agyros-chan? I went to find you since you two are the only ones left in the foyer.

Alena looks like a deer in headlights. She’s holding onto the leaves of one of those lilies like her life depends on it. I think it’s time to step in.

SHUJI: Yeah, that’s us! Agyros-san was looking at the plants to see if we could learn anything about where we are.

LANI: Oh, that’s wicked! Any luck?

ALENA: Nope.

LANI: Whoa, your accent! Are you American?

ALENA: ...Greek. Lived in Los Angeles for some time.

LANI: We’ve got a world traveler on our hands, then! I’m from Kahului.

[Blank expressions for Alena and Shuji]

LANI: Maui.

Alena nods slowly, but I’m still not sure how to react.

LANI: I speak English a little better than I do Japanese, what about you?

ALENA: …

Lani switches to English, and I can only catch a couple of words.

LANI: [I’m half Japanese though, so it wasn’t too hard to learn.]

ALENA: Oh...okay…

Alena seems uncomfortable (though, does she ever seem anything else?) and I didn’t understand what he said, so I try to switch the conversation back to Japanese.

SHUJI: So why did you want to gather us? Did Roxxy-san find a clue?

LANI: Well, maybe, we--

He’s interrupted by an electronic squeal that turns from just noise into laughter.