Innocent Insanity

The weird-ass Redhead

1 week until the fight
Ayano POV:
            I walk into the school without Osano today. He said something about being sick. I personally think he's avoiding the chemistry test we have today. He always claims that I'M the one who uses HIM as a resource, but in reality he stays home because he knows he's not prepared for a test! What bull.
            I smile thinking about my ginger friend. It's been good to reconnect with him. I haven't really spent much time with Kokona recently, because she's taking a vacation with her father in another country. Her father was recently released from debts, and was also anonymously donated around 1 million dollars. Definitely didn't have anything to do with me. Absolutely nothing.
            Anyway, I miss that annoying purple-twist girl more than I thought I would. I'm glad that she's coming back soon. But maybe I'm making too much of these emotions. I could just be the adrenaline that seems to constantly be flowing through me recently.
            The fight is only a week away. I've been training every day after school. I'm ready for pretty much anything they can throw at me. I'll be fighting in the "High ring". This is the competition usually reserved for professional fighters, and high-paying spectators' champions. But they also have spots for people like me. Assassins with something to prove or debts to pay off.
            The main style of fighting in the ring is Shadow weapon. This style involves small, easily concealable weapons that are used by assassins and other killers to harm or kill a victim almost imperceptibly, but quickly and relatively painlessly. As to not make a scene and expose the assasin. But sometimes they throw the contestants for a loop and make it a chain four on four. Four people on a team, the object is to render each of the other team's members unconscious using a corrugated metal chain. Not fun. Or even a barb-stick surrender match. Those are definitely the worst.
            I walk to my seat. I'm still sitting close to the window, but since Osoro hasn't been coming to class lately, the one in between the window and me is open. I wonder what's causing him to miss school.
            The teacher walks in and looks at the desks. I'm a little earlier than normal, so the only people in here are the teacher, myself, and this one weird looking girl with green hair, eyes glued to her phone. What a wackodoodle. She even mumbles sometimes. If I had the capacity to be freaked out, I would be. For now I just think she's inconvenient and annoying.
            "Aishi-san. You're here early," Teacher says slowly. I guess she's trying to make conversation, without having to deal with the green-haired girl. I don't even think this is Greenheads classroom. I've never seen her in here before.
            Just as I was about to answer the teacher to try to alleviate some of the awkwardness, a boy with a short bob of silver hair rushes into the room. He's wearing black gloves, the boy's uniform, and a red armband. A club leader. I turn my head to get a closer look.
            Student council president, huh? I snap a photo as he catches his breath. Not sure why, but it could come in handy later.
            "Mrs. Kanon! Please excuse my interruption, but there are a number of unfamiliar people lurking around school grounds. We're putting the school on lockdown and telling students who aren't here yet to avoid coming to school today," The boy says hurriedly. The teacher pales, and the green-haired girl doesn't look up. I see out the open door that a few of the students who are always early are running down the hall. I see a girl named Horuda, a boy named Sora, Budo Masuta and a couple more, but I can't name them. Teacher tells us to grab our bags and run down the hall. Green-hair finally looks up from her phone, and bolts out the door. For such an obvious phone addict, I definitely didn't expect her to be so fast.
            "Aishi-san!" Mrs. Kanon says from the door. I shake my head and follow her out. My phone buzzes against my leg. I look at the text I received.
            UNKNOWN NUMBER: Fever, this is a distraction. Move to coordinate room 3,4.
            FEVER: And I can trust you...
            UNKNOWN NUMBER: From thine eye I draw my weapon. From thy blood I draw my life.
            Any assassin knows those words. They're the words we're all made to speak after out first kill. They're the words that make you an assassin. This person is not kidding.
            FEVER: I'll be there in 3.
            UNKNOWN NUMBER: make it 1.
            Ugh, pushy much? I speed up, taking the stairs 4 at a time. Coordinate room 3,4 is the room located on the gridline intersection on the map I was given when I started my mission. I lost the map early on, but I have a photographic memory, so I know where I'm headed.
            I reach the room. It's windows are blocked, and the doors are shut. The sign above the door says: "Info Club".
            What a dorky name.
            I try the door. Locked. I back up a couple steps and then aim a series of side kicks at the old hinges connecting the door to the wall. They give way pretty easily and I can walk inside.
            A boy with red hair and glasses is looking at a computer with at least half a dozen monitors strapped to poles around his face. The windows are blocked, and there are papers all over the desk the computer/monitor thing sits on. I take a glimpse at the screens and see web browsers open, what looks like security camera feed and... Photos?
            Wait... Is that... me?! And it's of...
            Whoever took that picture is going to die.
            The redhead turns around, but leaves me enough time to rush up to him and plant my knife firmly against his throat, not even giving him enough room to breathe properly. His eyes widen, but his freakish smile doesn't waver. I force away my hesitation and apprehension. Time to go emotionless.
            "Well. It seems you've made it in exactly 1:23 seconds. You're late," He smirks. I so don't have time for this bull.
            "Alright, come off it. Who are you, how did you know the assassin's pledge, and where did you get that photo?" I ask him. I see him take an uneasy breath. He should be pretty easy to crack. But then again, to be an information broker, as I've gathered this boy is, he'd have to have some defenses. I wonder why I haven't run into them yet-!!
            I feel a hand grab the back of my shirt and pull me away from the strange boy. I turn around, ripping the back off my shirt to get it out of my attacker's iron grip. I spin around and come face to face with a dead-looking girl with pigtails. I recognize her form my first week last year! She's Osana's best friend!... I forget her name, but she left right around the time I killed Osana. Rai-something. She's a martial artist. I guess Osana's death did a number on her, because she has bags under her eyes, her arms have scratches up and down them, and she's way too thin to be healthy. I'd fee bad for her if I didn't currently think her to be an enemy.
            I step out of her circle of reach and get into a fighting stance, tucking the knife into the back of y skirt. She does the same. She attacks first with a hard right hook. Even her fighting has gone downhill since she lost Osana. I easily dodge and grab her arm, forcing her to the ground and twisting her arm behind her back, breaking it. She doesn't make a sound.
            "So I see you have a fighting prowess. It's to be expected of a Yandere assassin," The annoying red-haired boy says.
            "I suggest you remain silent until I ask something of you if you wish to keep your limbs attached to your body," I threaten coolly. I see the redhead smirk. Again. This is really, really starting to get on my nerves. The boy raises his hands. He opens his mouth to ask if he can speak. I nod at him.
            "I guess you're a little curious as to why you are here?" He asks. My turn to smirk. This guy is obviously used to being in control of whatever situation he's in. time to turn that shit around.
            "Not even a little bit," I say bluntly. He starts in confusion, but I'll give him points for a quick recovery. This is definitely not his first rodeo.
            "I'm Info-kun. Your one-stop-shop for pretty much anything. I look for people on campus who are easy to manipulate-" I cut him off
            "If you think I'm easy to manipulate you're talking to the wrong girl," I say.
            "You didn't let me finish. I look for people who are easy to manipulate, or those who I can bargain with. You, my dear, are someone who I am very interested in bargaining with," He finishes. I won't lie,  I'm a little intrigued. If he's proposing an alliance, and he's up to what he's saying he is, this could be very useful to me.
            "Alright, you have my interest. What's your plan?"