[ this part is optional to read ! So if you want you can just skip ahead to chapter 1 :) ]

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I wake up to the faint sound of talking, but as I slowly regain consciousness and open my eyes I see nothing but darkness? I tried to move around but my space was limited, so instead I listened in on the talking.

"...and when I woke up, I was inside that locker.." a female voice said

"Same with me...were we kidnapped by the same people?" There seemed to be 2 people in the room now, this ones voice seemed to be more masculine. The talking went on for a bit, I wanted to stay hidden but I was getting claustrophobic so I ended up pushing my way out.

My face was met with the dirty cold floor as the talking stopped.

"Whoa ?! Another one ?" The male said. I lift up my head to see these people. The guy was dressed in all black, with a hat. His hair seemed to be a blueish-grey, I also noticed he has some pretty long eyelashes. The girl was blonde and seemed to be in a navy blue school uniform, she also had some hair accessories that looked piano themed. They both seemed nice !

The blonde helped me up as I dusted off my clothes, I was also wearing a uniform but I have no idea how I got here.

"Hello! I'm Kaede Akamatsu and that's Shuichi Saihara, you are...?" She kindly asked me

"Oh um me? I'm Y/n L/n..." I said awkwardly. I started to get nervous with both of them looking at me

"Do you know how I got here? In that locker..?" I ask

"No..Shuichi and I have no memory of how we got here either" Kaede responded. I sighed as my mind started to wonder.

Were we all kidnapped? What if they're lying to me? Are there other people here? Who brought me here?

"Hey, let's just get out of here as fast as we can and find some help!" The Kaede suggested

"Yeah, good idea." I respond, Shuichi nods in agreement.

Kaede attempted to open the door but it wouldn't open, so we all tried to open it with all our strength. As soon as it opened, we were met with this giant machine.

"Hell yeah! Found you!" The machine spoke??? Was there someone inside?

"A monster!?" Shuichi panicked. The machine started cheering and laughing, it was kinda creepy.

"We should get out of here, quickly !" I say, but as soon as I suggested that, the machine started telling us to wait repeatedly. I start running, not taking any chances but when I notice the other two weren't following I quickly shout for them.

"Kaede, Shuichi ! Over here !" They both turned to me and started catching up.

As we ran aimlessly through the halls, the machine kept chasing us.

"Ah, geez! What are those things!?—" Kaede was cut off by Shuichi

"Hey look there's a door here! C'mon !" We both followed him into the room and we were met with a bunch of other students.

"Ohhh... more people have arrived." One of them said. I look around to all of the people.

Who are they? Were they kidnapped too...?

"Did you all get chased by that monster, too!?" Someone asked.

"Oh, yeah..." kaede answered, I nod my head in agreement with her. Chatter soon filled the room. People questioning where they were and what those machines are.

"Who are you guys..? And why am I here—" Kaede shouted but was cut off by someone else.

"And that makes 17."

"What?" I ask the stranger

"I'm talking about us. There are 17 of us—all high schoolers. What do you think that means?" The male said. He has messy green hair and green eyes too. There was a small pause before he spoke again.

"Oh, right. Didn't answer your question. I can give you my name. It's Rantaro Amami. Let's leave it at that for now." He looked at me straight in the eyes, it gave me the chills. He was....kind of hot tho ....

"Huh? Um...okay." Kaede spoke for me.

"Anyway, why does it matter if there are 17 of us? There might be more coming." Another male spoke up. His hair was kinda weird.

"Nah, I think this is all of us. , anyway." Rantaro replied. What does he mean?

"...If this is what you think it is?" A girl with brown hair and red eyes spoke up.

"What, you some fuckin' know-it-all? If you know somethin', spit it out!" Another blonde girl said.

Just then, another unknown voice echoed throughout the gym.

"Okayyyyy, quiet everyone! Shimmy down, shimmy down!"

"No, no, no. It's "simmer down."

"What the hell...who is that?" I ask nervously

Just as I said that a bunch of machines appeared in the gym. They're the same ones that chased me..everyone suddenly went into panic as the machines circled around us.

"Kyahahahahhaha! Thanks for bearing with us!" The machines yelled in sync.

"Damn it! There are more monsters! We're surrounded!" The weird hair guy from earlier spoke again.

"These aren't monsters. They're . Highly mobile, bipedal weapon platforms." Another unknown voice said.

"Weapons!?" Shuichi shouted nervously

"Should we take these for a spin by killin' one of 'em!?" The blue exisal asked

"Gyaaaahhhh!!! Wait a minute!!" Another girl with green hair shouted. "It wouldn't be any fun picking on plain, good-for-nothing commoners!" She continued.

"You're right. We should at least think of an interesting way to kill you. Maybe I'll pick ya up and squeeze ya till your guts come gushin' out like toothpaste!"

"Please! Not like toothpaste!"

"Urgh...I just imagined it. I can't handle gore." A pink exisal said.

"Thennn what if...we start peelin' off their limbs one by one, like string cheese?" The yellow exisal suggested

"Please, not like string cheese either!" The girl shouted

"Wait! We can't kill them with the exisals. According to the schedule, the exisals aren't supposed to show up till later!" The red exisal said

"But...we're in the exisals right now."

"Oh! So we are!"

"We screwed up. We're not supposed to be in the exisals for our first appearance."

"I told ya we shoulda read the script!"

I was so confused on what was going on that I didn't really pay attention to what all the exisals were talking about. I kept looking around the room, looking at everyone. Until something caught my attention.

"With our powers combined, we are the Monokubs!" 5 bears shouted. I assume they were the ones controlling the exisals?

"See? We're outta the exisals. Now we're not scary anymore, right? Right?? Right!?" The red bear said.

"His desperation is strangely terrifying...!" The pink one added

"You punkasses better brace yourselves!" A blue bear with a guitar said.

"And he's just outright terrifying!" The pink bear yelled again. The conversation between the kubs went on for a bit.

"Hey..what's up with these stuffed animals? How are they moving?" The weird hair guy said again.

"I...I have no idea." A girl with long blue hair spoke up.

"Moving stuffed animals.."

"On top of that, it seems like they're calling themselves the "MonoKubs." People started talking. The kubs started talking again, saying useless stuff so I didn't care to listen.

"Looks like I was right. This is exactly . But who's behind all this? Why the ridiculous theatrics—" That rantaro guy from earlier spoke again.

"Gahhh! Shut up, you! All o' you are reactin' way too normally to this! It's boring!" The blue kub said.

"Actually...don't their clothes seem kinda boring, too?"

"Wait a minute...Ya think maybe they haven't been given their yet?"

"Huh? That shoulda happened before they woke up..."

"Hey, answer my question! If you guys are the Monokubs, then—" Kaede tried to speak but was cut off once again.

"Hey! who the hell are you punks!?" The blue kub shouted

"Huh? What do you mean?" I ask, curiously.

"We're just wondering...do you guys have or anything like that?" The yellow kub asked

Ultimate talents...?

"No...I don't have one." I reply

"Me either.... I don't have...anything like that.." Shuichi said

"Yeah...same here." Others started to agree with me

"I knew it! They haven't gotten their first memory yet!"

"Monophanie...weren't you in charge of that?" One of the kubs asked. The link kub did nothing but pretend to sleep.

"She's sleeping? Did she seem really tired to you guys?"

"She's...obviously faking it.." I mumble, but apparently the kubs heard me.

"Even if she's faking, she looks so peaceful. Let's whisper so we don't wake her up." The red kub replied

"Um..Anyway...if you guys really are the Monokubs, then—" Kaede kept trying to speak but was never able to finish her sentence.

"Don't worry about us. The real issue is you bastards. Well, "issue" is putting it mildly...This is actually a huge problem. You all have forgotten your talents and become generic high school students."

"Huh? Forgotten..?" Kaede asked

"See, according to the backstory, there's this Ultimate Hunt goin' on. You've all lost your memories and become different people cuz of the Ultimate Hunt."

"Ummm....what are you talking about?" The blue haired girl asked

"Well, in your current state, it's pretty much pointless to talk to you guys about this."

I started getting annoyed. So much talking just for it to all be useless? Why can't they just get to the point already?

"The first thing we need you guys to do is remember your true selves."

"Yeah! You need to reclaim your sealed talents by regaining your memories!"

"I don't get it...what are these sealed talents you're talking about?" A male with purple hair that's basically defying gravity spoke up. He had purple eyes and was kind of short...

"How are we supposed to talk when you meet asking so many friggin' questions!?"

"Just get to the fucking point already. Listening to you guys talk so much is making me tired." I say. I could feel a bunch of stares from people right after I said that.

"Alright, alright. First, we'll update your wardrobe so you guys look all cute and spiffy!"

——

It's like I was blinded for a second, but once I regained my eyesight...everyone was wearing different clothes.

"Woah Y/n, cool outfit!" Kaede turned to me. I looked down to myself and saw I was wearing a short crop top that was black and red. I was also wearing a low waisted skirt that was fully black with a small black chocker that had some hints of red. And then a regular necklace. I felt...kinda of exposed..

Before I got to answer Kaede the pink monokub started talking again.

"Mm-hm! Looking good! Now you guys look more like ."

"Ultimates...? Really?" Shuichi asked. He was still wearing black clothes, but just...different black clothes?

"Next up, the memory you've all been waiting for."

"Hell yeah! Get ready! Once the seal is broken, we'll be in the !"

Woah wait what?! A killing game..?!

"Now then, after the flashback light helps you remember your amazing talents. This amazing story will begin for real this time!"

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