Survival Game, Book 1: The Fool

Act Three: Chapter Eighteen

    There's four of us... three high school students and a serial killer. That part alone should be interesting enough for the readers. Kris thought as she stood in front of the elevator door to her testing room. Her initial anger had faded since then and now replaced with the thoughts of what to add to her article. I wish I'd ask Kouji more on his fight with Maruyama. She wasn't sure why she didn't, after bringing it up first thing, but something held her back. Kouji had never mentioned Satsuki once, unlike Kris' other classmates, even when he was bound to have known the fact. She wanted to show him the same respect. Maybe I won't mention him at all. It'd just increase the rumors about him. But, she'd eventually have to talk about him and the others and mention the fight anyway. I'll think on it later...
    She went through the elevator and waited until it stopped on the third floor, forcing her thoughts away. When she stepped out, she met tatami flooring and pale white walls with paintings of sakura trees drew upon it. A single table laid in the center of the field of tatami mats, with two dark green cushions in between it. One of the cushions were unoccupied, while the other seated a woman who didn't seem to notice Kris at first, her eyes closed as she emerged herself in her own tranquil room. She only acknowledged the girl after taking a long sip from the ceramic teacup cradled in her hands. "Aramaki-san." She addressed her in a voice as soft and quiet as a light rain, setting the cup down onto the table as she spoke. "I welcome you to your testing room. I shall be your mentor throughout this process." She opened her eyes to look at Kris, a brilliant gleam of light green and gold reflecting in her irises. "My name is Miho Kakiuchi. It is nice to meet you. I've been looking forward to training you throughout the program." She gave a bow in greeting before raising up into a sitting position once more. "Come, sit down. Then we shall begin."
    Kris hesitantly took a step forward, unsure of what to do. This woman makes it feel like this is some business meeting. How can I pass when she acts so calm about everything? She could feel Miho's gaze burning into her and she forced herself to take another step. As she got closer to the table, she realized another figure moving among the cushions and her heart lurched when she recognized what it was. Silver scales glittered menacingly as the flourescent lights shown down onto them and a long thin tail coiled itself around Miho's left wrist and rested its head onto her knee. As Kris seated herself on the cushion across from Miho, the creature raised its head, its unblinking golden eyes and slitted pupils staring at her as if its gaze would bear into her soul. She flinched and a suppressed gasp escaped her lips as it reared its head and a thin tongue hungrily slipped in and out. She was never afraid of snakes, exactly, but this was the first time she'd ever saw one up close without a glass window to block any potential strike.
    Miho chuckled at her reaction, her lips curled up in an amused smile. "Do not fret. It only wishes to read you. It does this with every newcomer." She explained, raising up from her seat to walk a few paces to a large drawer at the corner of the room, the silver scaled snake wrapping itself around one slender leg. At first, Kris had been too focused on the snake to care about Miho's physical appearance, but now she looked at the woman as she rummaged through the drawer. She was about the same stature and physique as Kris, though somehow appearing much more mature. Her attire was similar to a yukata with its light cotton fabric, yet more untraditional with its length, falling down to her lower thighs. The color of her yukata-like outfit matched her eyes, though a more dark green with gold trim at the end of her wide sleeves and skirt. A beige obi was fastened around her waist, along with a red ribbon tied around it. She wore a pair of tabi socks, and Kris assumed the black and red strapped sandals placed neatly at the entrance were Miho's as well.
    When the woman returned, she placed a blank sheet of paper and a pen onto the table, facing Kris' direction. "The paper in front of you is the source of your test." She paused to adjust the hairpin that held her dark green hair into a tight bun before continuing. "The test is simple. I want you to write a story of a sakura tree. That is all." She explained. "Your writing style shall determine what powers you'll receive."
    A story of a sakura tree...? What kind of story? She had done a haiku about a sakura tree once for a school project, but she assumed this was more of a narrative. She was never used to creative writing, only her blog articles and some forms of poetry. She said my writing style would determine my powers for the program. I doubt she'd approve if I asked what to do. Maybe I can make the tree represent something, then it'd be easier to write. She decided, her confidence increasing slightly as she picked up the pen. Miho must've noticed the change, a slight smile spreading across her lips once more. At that moment, as Kris began to write, the snake moved, slithering across the tatami mat, its skin shedding multiple times until it formed a wide circle around the two. Miho didn't seem to pay any mind to the strange occurrence, instead picking up her ceramic cup from the table and taking another long sip of tea before sitting it down again.
    When the snake finished its circle, the skins it left behind began to jolt alive and morph into other snakes, all of different colors and sizes. How... did it do that? Kris wondered, her pulse beginning to race as she counted over 10 snakes slithering around the floor. Her eyes darted to Miho, but the woman didn't even look at the snakes, even when one of them flicked its brown scaled tail towards her. The first snake returned to its position shortly after, its work fulfilled, and wrapped its long body around Miho's shoulders, draping around her like a scarf. It watched Kris intently once more, gaping its mouth a little to show a glimpse of long fangs. "Please continue writing, Aramaki-san." Miho ordered, a calm yet strict edge to her voice. She didn't look up at Kris and for a second, it seemed as if her words were just an illusion and she never truly spoke at all. However, Kris began to write again anyway, finally deciding what her story would be about.
    "A lone sakura tree stood in full bloom, its petals drifting onto the bright green grass of April. It was a young tree, one with vibrance and beauty, enough to make everyone turn to it each spring. Families would gather around its bark and have picnics on the ground beneath it, couples would proclaim their undying love to each other during the night, and even animals would become company to the sakura tree whenever people weren't around. No one knew why this tree became so beloved, what made it so special in comparison to the other trees, and yet... it remained that way no matter the time that passed. The "new" feeling never seemed to wane and its beauty never faltered. Perhaps it was why the tree was so admired by all. It was the picture of perfection, and on the surface, no one could see its flaws." The first paragraph read, and her words began to pour onto the paper as if she'd wrote narratives for several years. It seemed natural to her now and she knew what to write before she'd even began.
     As she started to write the second paragraph, a hiss echoed throughout the room, followed by a sharp pain shooting through her leg. One of the snakes, the brown scaled creature from before, had sunk its fangs deep into her right calf muscle, only letting go after it felt the satisfaction of warm blood gushing out of the wound. It slithered back to the group afterwards, giving a last hiss towards Kris' direction to display blood dripping from its mouth. With a wince, Kris placed her free hand tightly onto the bite marks, sending a new wave of agony throughout her lower leg. She turned towards Miho once more. Is she doing this? It was a foolish thing to ask, but as she looked the woman over, there were no signs she was controlling the snakes' movement. Not even the silver snake had moved, its head resting innocently against the fabric of its master's sleeve. Miho still hadn't looked at her and when she spoke, all she said was, "Aramaki-san. Please continue." She ordered, taking yet another sip of tea.
    "Continue?" Kris repeated, slowly rising to her feet to try to seem more furious. "How can I continue when your snakes keep–" She was cut off by her own whimper of pain as another snake reared back and lunged at her, its fangs digging deep into her left arm until she was forced into a sitting position once more. Blood stained her sleeve as the snake released its grip, scattering flecks of blood onto the table and the paper rested on top of it. With an unsteady hand, she picked up the pen once more and continued to write, smearing blood onto the paper as she steadied it with her other hand.
    "As the years passed and seasons went by, a storm came one spring, more darker and vicious than any disaster could be. It tore off the branches, stripped away the petals, and the sakura tree slowly began to wither. All its beauty, all its grace, everything that made it perfect, was gone. All that was left was an ugly decay of slimy bark and bare branches, exposing the tree for all of what flawed it. This tree, once a gorgeous thing that everyone loved, was nothing more than a lie. A facade to please the public. In reality, the tree hid behind a mask, hiding its imperfections so no one could see what it truly was. Exposed and abandoned, the tree collapsed under the storm. And in the end, buried in darkness, no one wept for its loss. They went on, admiring the next beautiful sakura tree that crossed their paths, while the tree rotted away in the darkness, alone..." She finished the second paragraph with poorly written words, though still managing to finish. It took the whole page, and she wondered if there should be more or she should redo it. She almost requested to do so, but Miho sat down her cup and took the paper as soon as the pen was laid down.
    "Well done. You've passed my test." She commended, standing up from her cushion. The snakes that surrounded them began to dissolve like air, disappearing in mere seconds. The only one that remained was the silver snake, who seemed to read Kris' story alongside Miho. "This is a rather tragic tale, is it not? However, it helps me know what power you shall be granted." She placed the paper onto the table and pulled out a thin black box from a hidden pocket inside her yukata. "We are given the drugs for you beforehand, but these tests determine if your files are correct and they are the right fit. However, do you know the test's true purpose? Why I had made you write that story?"
    Their true purpose? Does she mean like an ulterior motive? I thought they were just to see what powers I get... Kris thought, unsure what to say. "Um... I don't know... I didn't know there was an ulterior motive to it..." She stammered as she staggered to her feet and approached her mentor.
    "A story can tell a lot about the person who wrote it. I can tell your story means more than something you thought of. That's why I ordered my snakes to attack you. I wanted to see your passion." Miho explained. "On the surface, snakes appear as the reptile you see before you. But, in reality, they take many forms. They even take the form of humans, though no one can tell since they look like everyone else. Did you know that?" When Kris shook her head in confusion, she continued. "That's what your story told. A snake that was overwhelmed by the storm and forced to shed its skin. In your story, it took the form of a tree, and was shunned once the truth was revealed. That's why the other snakes attacked after you wrote the first paragraph. They were protecting their own. Yet, you fought through their attacks and finished. After that, they saw you as an equal. You had exposed the sakura tree for what it was and became as vicious as a snake yourself."
    What does she mean...? My story was meant to represent Satsuki. Is she calling her a snake? Kris couldn't understand, but she didn't say anything. Miho placed the box in her hands as if she was presenting a gift to her. "The powers I bestow upon you will help you understand my words. Your AX drug is a hybrid of light and dark. The power of light will give you a way to see through the crowd and notice the snakes that hide in them. Meanwhile, the power of darkness shall grant you the viciousness of the same snakes you see, so you may become the storm you'd wrote about. Expose the sakura tree you speak of, and become a snake as evil as she and strip her of her power."
    So she does know I meant Satsuki... she's telling me to expose her, but of what? Kris remembered Satsuki's fast-coming fame in a mere few months and her initial suspicion about it. Is Kakiuchi-sensei confirming my suspicions? That I should show the world who Satsuki truly is? She took the needle out of the box and rolled up her right sleeve. Though her left arm still throbbed with pain every movement, she still managed to inject the needle decently. Miho watched her as she pushed the drugs into her vein until every bit of the clear liquid was gone.
    "I hope you use this power wisely." Her mentor advised as she took the box back, along with the empty syringe. "Proceed to the 5th floor and the infirmary shall treat your injuries. The drug will pause the bleeding until then. Afterwards, Kimura-san will contact the four of you for a meeting in an hour." Kris gave a brisk nod, wishing to hurry and leave, but as she turned around, Miho added, "And remember this word of advice, Aramaki-san. No matter how much something is desired, a snake will not harm their own to accomplish that. The ones who do betray their kind shall be killed for their actions. Remember that. Now, you may go." She dismissed her, returning to the table once more. Kris turned the other way, limping heavily towards the elevator. Expose Satsuki for the snake she is, huh? Maybe this woman wasn't talking nonsense after all...