The Ayanokouji Twins

Prologue: The Twins

Prologue: The Twins

The Masterpiece of the White Room, the Demon of the 4th Generation...

None of these titles tell the whole truth.

Not that they were meant to be representative—they were just the muttered rumours between the scientists—but their extreme inaccuracy is almost comical.

I mean, how hard was it for certified scientists, doctors, physicians, nutritionists and psychologists...

To use the plural form?

Don't you think so?

"Well, details of subjects weren't shared between generations, so I don't think the other scientists ever knew about us."

"Even then, how could they so easily miss a critical detail like that? With such incompetence, no wonder the first three generations failed."

"In terms of the mortality rate, wasn't our generation technically the biggest failure?"

"And yet, it's also considered the biggest success."

"Well, unfortunately for them their greatest successes just escaped."

"Right. The fourth generation will probably be considered the biggest failure now."

"Probably. But really, isn't the white room just falling apart? First there's a security breach, then they somehow let their greatest successes slip from the woodwork."

"Well, rather than incompetent or declining management, Matsuo was probably the pivotal factor to our escape."

"Yeah... Think they made it?"

"They should have and they better have. If not, the room's just added another entry to its long list of sins."

"And if they did, they'll pay for that too, won't they?"

"Yeah, they'll pay."

"We'll make them pay, won't we?"

"Yeah, for everything... But first—"

"We deserve a break, don't we?" He looked across at the face who said the words that were so meaningful in a way no one else but them could understand and noted a slight curvature at the seams of her mouth, something that was thankfully becoming increasingly common on her usually apathetic expression.

"A long break, maybe about three years long." He replied, enjoying the notion that no one else, even if they cared to listen in, could understand the hidden meaning in their short conversation.

The bus stopped and opened its doors, and he immediately noted two things: one, this was the last stop before their destination.

Two, he could hear someone enter the bus. Although he couldn't see who without looking up, from the sound of a thunk, thunk alongside footsteps, he surmised they had a cane and from their uniquely slow and light pace, guessed it to be an elderly.

She was sitting on the outer seat saw the elderly women walk in. Quickly, she did a mental check of the bus' occupants and noted, according to her memory, that there were no seats available. There was a smirking, smug blond boy sitting on a priority seat, but she knew he wouldn't move an inch.

Kouenji Rokusuke was simply not that kind of man.

So, she waited for the elderly women to look around and notice there were no seats, then stood up and gestured her over. The elderly women smiled in a uniquely adorable way she believed only grandmas were capable of: a mixture of grateful, aged and tiny.

"Why, thank you." The grandma said, and she just shook her off with a "no, it's nothing." Common courtesy wasn't that difficult to learn, and it took them less than a year to understand all the basics and intricacies. This much was simple.

Of course, common sense would likely never become instinct for them: they simply did it, not live it.

The granny looked to her left and noticed the brown-haired, apathetic teen and looked between the two of them. She rubbed her eyes and reached into her purse for a pair of glasses, fumbling as she put them on. "I'm sorry, my eyesight isn't too good, but... Are you two dearies siblings?"

They grinned. It was pleasant to hear someone ask that question.

They were no longer in a place that knew them.

So, more than happy to answer her question, they spoke up at the same time.

""We're Twins.""

And the school came into view.

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Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School. ANHS for short.

A school.

A normal school, at least by their standards.

A legal school.

A school with the decency not to kill their students.

A school that was not a laboratory.

A school that housed students, not subjects.

In conclusion...

It was not the White Room.

It was an obvious distinction, but the twins reveled in the obvious as they stood in front of the school gates.

"I wonder, since when have you two become so charitable?" teased a voice beside them, and even without looking they could just imagine the smug face of Koenji Rokusuke dramatically combing his hair.

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do." He replied.

"And we are quite interested in "Rome," I'll have you know." She said, following up on her brother.

"Unfortunately, "Rome" is not as grandiose as that comparison makes it out to be." Remarked the blond heir.

"Still beats the old place."

"Of course. However, I assure you, by the name of the Koenji conglomerate..." The heir rounds behind them and gives good, hearty pat on each of their shoulders.

"You won't have to make that comparison for much longer." He says, and with a wave he heads off first as the twins smile at his retreating back.

They turn to look at each other.

"We should get going too."

"You say that like it isn't something absolutely huge."

"What, want to cheer out loud?"

"Too exaggerated. Instead..." She grips his hand harder: he grips back. They have long since progressed past the need to speak between themselves, usually using other, more discreet means of communication, but often times they don't even have to go that far to know the other's thoughts.

This was one such occasion, and they wordlessly walked up the school gates together, stopping right on the edge. Then, leaning back in preparation, they jumped at the same time, crossing the gate while silently pumping the air.

And so, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka and Ayanokouji Kiyone arrived to ANHS.

"...God, that was corny." - Ayanokouji Kiyotaka

"Shut it. This is THE time to be corny." - Ayanokouji Kiyone