A Dream for Tomorrow

4. The Library

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April 8th, 2009 (Morning)

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Visions. Visions. Visions. They were quite a peculiar phenomenon. Ayumi didn't remember exactly when they started, however it was somewhere in the ballpark of when she was 5 - 7. Ayumi was in school, a test that she didn't study for at all on the table, staring back at her. She didn't know the answer, no matter how hard she tried she just didn't know the answer to the question posed in front of her face. No matter how hard she tried.

A soft voice lulled in her ears and sang the answers like a song. Ayumi's hand ticked the answers that the voice whispered, fully putting her trust in it. She didn't know why her first thought wasn't if she was going insane, the voice felt so natural to her. Her brain just processed the words that were spoken and now the cadence of the voice speaking them, like they were fed directly into her brain.

Later she would find out that all the answers that she put in were correct and that she scored the highest grade in the class, much to the dismay of class toppers and to the surprise of several staff members.

"Didn't know she was the studious type", "There's no way she didn't cheat", "I sat right next to her though, and I didn't see anything" and "She must've bribed the teacher" were common sentiments shared across her campus. Even her mother when she heard of this incident questioned her daughter thoroughly and scolded her about how bad cheating was and how important it is to be honest in our society.

After that first encounter with the voice, every so often she would get gut feelings. This would happen no matter what. The teacher would not show up, the school football team would win the match, her mom would leave for her work without packing her lunch, her dad had a surprise planned for them. Little things like that. However, after a few months she started having full fledged visions. Visions of the past, present and most interestingly the future. She didn't believe her eyes at first, seeing the future that was some kind of superpower that she would only see in her superhero movies or comic books, not something that someone like her could have. Though, the more that she denied it, the more it came after her, it followed her wherever it went, like a stalker hiding in the shadows.

Eventually, she came clean to her parents, the stress of having such a power becoming too much for her. They didn't believe her at first, what kind of a parent would, but with enough proof, Ayumi eventually got her parents to believe in her power. After that-

After that-

After that-

After that, After that, After that, After that, After that, After that, After that, After that, After that, After that, After that, After that, After that, After that, After that, After that, After that, After that, After that, After that, After that, After that, After that, After that, After that, After that, After that, After that.

Funny. Her mind drew a blank.

Ayumi's body froze at the thought. She was standing in front of her mirror, making sure her hair was perfect for the first semester of second year. She had put her hair in a high ponytail, with only her cyan bow keeping it all together in a semi coherent mess. She had light bags under her eyes that were only noticeable when people got close enough to her face, which would never happen so she didn't bother to conceal it. Her uniform was the most pristine it would ever look this school year as Kirijo got it through a thorough cleaning for both Takeba, Sanada and Ayumi and herself just before school started. Ayumi had asked her for the expenses, but Kirijo didn't answer her pleas to somehow pay her back.

Ayumi made her way onto the monorail that was her ticket to school. Though usually it was full of students, it was early in the morning, way too early for anyone to be there. Ayumi also usually didn't go this early, but it was the first day of second year and she didn't want to ruin it for Takeba.