MANIA: The Rusted Sun

Aerial Mishap

~Airfield~

After retrieving the journal, the team headed for the nearest airfield to board the next flight to Vietnam. They didn't want to risk being spotted on security cameras at Kabul International Airport. So, they chose to stow away on a cargo plane leaving a lesser-known airfield. Fortunately, they found a flight manifest showing a cargo plane bound for Ho Chi Minh City, and they wasted no time in hopping onto that plane.

~Sky~

Now, all they have to do is relax until they reach Hanoi.

Lewis: Whoo! It's smooth sailing from this point forward.

Daniella: Providing that the Crimson Elite isn't following us.

Barton: As far as we're concerned, they don't know where we are, or how we're even traveling right now.

Kathy: I hope so, 'cause they probably mean business after what happened at the vineyard.

Darryl: *Reading his journal* (I'm so close, Dad. Just need to take one more detour.) *Turns to Jeremy's team* (And I've got just the people to help with it.) *Notices Maya sitting by herself* Hm. *Sits next to her* You okay?

Maya: ... It comes back to me in flashes.

Darryl: *?* What comes back to you in flashes?

Maya: ... The day I left the Crimson Elite.

Darryl: *!* Oh, right. I almost forgot that you were a member. What exactly happened?

Maya: Back then, we were all graduates from the Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School, a school established by the Japanese government to nurture young graduates who will support the country. In short, it's another typical school for rich kids.

*Flashback*

*Maya's POV*

{2017}

*Images of what Maya experienced appear*

However, during one such school year, the students of that year created something bigger upon graduation. And I was one of those students from that year.

The students are divided into different rank classes, lettered A - D. These ranks are usually known for fighting each other, but it wasn't until one such school year, that the students of that year formed a pact after graduating, finally ending their strife against one another. Ironically, it was the lowest rank, D-Class, that came up with the idea of forming a pact, led by one particular student, Kiyotaka Ayanokōji.

Kiyotaka had originally planned to use us as stepping stones, but later on, we all somehow became close friends with each other, even with those outside our rank. Of these people, his closest friends consisted of nine people, three of whom were Suzune Horikita, the younger sister of the school's Student Council President; Yōsuke Hirata, a fellow class representative, and Suzune's boyfriend; and Kikyō Kushida, a seemingly friendly student on the outside, but with a dark personality on the inside. Despite her two-faced nature, Kiyotaka, known to be two-faced himself, decided to date her, believing that they could "guide each other". Then, there's me, a fellow D-Class student, who was also in love with Kiyotaka. But at the time, he hadn't developed any romantic feelings for anyone just yet. So, naturally, rejected me.

It wasn't until some time before our second year that he finally developed feelings, and Kushida was his pick.

After graduating, Kiyotaka, Suzune, Kikyō, and Yōsuke decided to form the Crimson Elite with D-Class. One could almost say that I was a founding member myself, which is something I haven't told Jeremy yet. To our surprise, the other three classes decided to join as well. These classes became platoons, and each was led by their class representatives. Kiyotaka, Suzune, Kikyō, and Yōsuke were not only the leaders of D-Platoon but also four of the ten overall leaders of the whole Crimson Elite.