Preparations
This was happening. This was actually happening. Kaito Momota was walking into an actual space center. There was a more official name for it he was sure, but he was too excited to care. Years of his life had been leading up to this. He was going to be sent into space to save the world. It seemed like the perfect first adventure for the Luminary of the Stars.
Yeah, there had been some not so stellar events leading up to this. The Invasion was definitely not stellar. For twenty four years now, Earth had been subjected to routine abductions carried out by an unknown extraterrestrial race. The abductions happened every three weeks. Kaito had been present for many. It was uncanny how quickly they happened. Lights would appear in the sky, and soon reports of humanoid creatures would crop up. Finally there would be reports of break ins, people snatched from their homes and dragged back onto the ships, and back to wherever the aliens had come from.
No one had ever seen one. No one who was still alive and well on Earth anyways. All pictures were blurry. All glimpses were fleeting. There had never been any corpses discovered. Only theories, speculation and a few facts.
One such fact was that the creatures were far more advanced than humans. Earth was trapped under their inhuman thumbs. (Actually, Kaito wasn't sure that they had thumbs...) There had never been a successful way to prevent the Abductions. Earth was a specimen jar stuffed full of cool things to these space bastards, and they didn't show any signs of leaving.
Aliens on their own were bad enough, but it was what they brought with them that was even more concerning. The aliens at least left some hope that their victims were alive. The Plague showed no such mercy.
It had been nicknamed "the space pox" in regards to the fact that it literally had come from space, and due to its similarities to smallpox. Both diseases occurred when humans were exposed to creatures that carried germs that their frail bodies weren't equipped to handle. Both swept across the nation killing thousands, maybe ten thousands a day.
Any advances in technology to fight off the aliens had been halted by the space pox. There were too many things to focus on at once. Humanity could very well be facing the end of the world.
But Kaito knew that there was one hope. The Ultimates. A few short decades before the Invasion, the Ultimates were discovered. Individuals who were exceedingly talented. The best of the best, professionals in their fields. It was a miracle.
So of course it didn't last.
The Ultimate Phenomena as it became known, didn't last long. Ultimate stopped naturally appearing within three years, and by the time of the Invasion, there hadn't been a natural Ultimate in decades.
Ultimates were no longer born, but they could be made.
Kaito didn't fully understand it, he was a man of science after all, but there was a genetic trait that Ultimates had carried, something that enhanced their minds, gave them the capacity for their greatness. The gene, the Ultimate gene, could be replicated, and transplanted into humans at birth. It was custom for every baby to be given an injection containing the Ultimate Gene.
Sometimes the gene took, other times it didn't. When it did take, the child was changed, transformed. As they grew, they would develop a talent. While that in itself was remarkable, it had been revealed only a few short years ago that Ultimates were immune to the Plague.
This had given humanity hope, that the Ultimates could hold both the cure to the Plague, and the end to the Abductions.
And that's where Kaito came in.
As the Ultimate Astronaut, he had taken interest in all things space before he even understood what the Invasion was. He knew that he was destined to be among the stars, even if others around him didn't believe it. With a little luck, and some possibly sketchy fake credentials, Kaito had proved himself once and for all on an astronaut exam, becoming the youngest person in history to pass, and securing his legacy as an Ultimate.
It was only natural that he had been chosen for this.
Kaito had assumed that the government had finally decided to arrest him when the men in the suits showed up. He had kicked over a chair and fled outside, before his grandparents called him back. The men had brought a formal request, not handcuffs.
The governments of the world had finally decided to make a move. They had decided to form a task force of sixteen Ultimates, who would be sent into space to gather intel on the Invasion. Their immunity to the Plague would guarantee that they would not be harmed by close contact with the creatures, and Ultimates would have specific skills that would be needed.
And Kaito was one of them. An astronaut was perfect, they said. By accepting the mission, he would be saving the lives of not only his loved ones, but everyone. He'd be a hero.
And he'd be dammed if he passed that up.
The only downside was the team. Kaito was cool with a sidekick or two, but a whole group of people? That was pushing it. Kaito liked to think that he could have pulled this off on his own. He would never admit how terrified he really was...
His concerns only grew when he saw the group. Firstly, he was clearly the last to arrive, which probably looked bad. Secondly...dang.
The massive waiting lounge before him was occupied by fifteen other people, and Kaito had never seen such a diverse group of people.
"Hello! You must be the last member!"
Kaito jumped back, staring at the short, white haired girl that had snuck up behind him. "Jesus! Don't do that!"
The girl put both of her hands on her cheeks in an expression of mock horror. "Oh? Then whatever will you do if the aliens sneak up on people? Atua has concerns about this one."
"Ugh, a degenerate male." Another girl spoke up. She was eyeing Kaito with pure disdain. "I keep telling them that an all female task force would do way better!"
"Come on now, let's try to get along. Not like we're gonna be launched into space in a flyin' cylinder together right?" A green haired boy smiled reassuringly at Kaito. "You certainly look the part."
Kaito grinned and showed off his star patterned jacket. Yeah, he could do this, nerves be dammed. This could turn out to be the best damn crew in the galaxy!
"Eesh, what a kiss-ass." Kaito turned to see a shorter boy with violet tinted hair, smirking at him. "What strings did you pull to get in here? Did you wave some cash around? Or did you actually kneel down and-"
"Kokichi shut up." A blonde girl with a backpack said. She turned to Kaito. "He's asked everyone that. Ignore him ok? I'm sure your talent is super cool! I'm Kaede Akamatsu. I'm the Ultimate Pianist!"
Kaito returned her bright smile, despite his confusion over what a pianist could possibly do in space. "Kaito Momota, the Ultimate Astronaut!"
"Well, that's certainly a useful talent. Havin' you around might really help." The green haired boy had joined the conversation. "I'm Rantaro Amami. I'm the Ultimate Adventurer. I've been all over, but never to space."
"Don't worry about it, neither have I." Kaito admitted. "I'm guessing it'll be the first time for all of us."
"I dunno why you're talkin' about first times, but if you need a hand, I'm always happy to help!" A blonde haired girl pushed her way into the triangle Kaito and the others had made. "Miu Iruma, the Gorgeous Girl Genius. Or the Ultimate Inventor. Your choice."
Talking with his new crewmates only made Kaito more excited. Kaede was a bundle of sunshine. Rantaro was calm and laid back, traits that would do well in a crisis. Miu, while brash and lewd, was clearly highly intelligent. This was going well.
"What good is an astronaut that's never been to space?" The boy named Kokichi whined. "I have a bad feeling about this. Someone let this random clown in, and he's gonna get us all killed!"
Kaede's smile vanished. "Stop it. No one's going to die."
"Nishishi! Keep telling yourself that." Kokichi said, turning to Kaito. "I on the other hand, am taking bets. Who do you think is gonna bite it first? My money's on dumb and dumber over there." he pointed to a massive mountain of a man, who was staring intently at a potted plant.
"I'm sure he's just the strong silent type." Kaede said uncertainly. Kokichi laughed again and walked away, going to annoy one of the security guards at the door.
"Well he's gonna be fun." Kaito grumbled. He turned towards the rest of the group. The girl who called him a degenerate was still staring at him.
"Well, we're all here for a reason. Our talents made us important parts of this." Rantaro said. "He's gotta be good for something."
Kaito saw the guard look longingly at his taser as Kokichi rambled. "I wouldn't be so sure."
About fifteen minutes of small talk had passed before an official looking group of men and women entered the lounge. "Please be seated." their leader, a woman said. Kaito slumped onto a chair in between Kaede and Rantaro.
"Welcome to the Towa City Center for Space Exploration." the woman continued, regarding the sixteen Ultimates calmly. "You may know us as the first space center in the world to make it outside our own galaxy. You may also know us as the arrogant fools who allowed the Invasion and its subsequent horrors to happen. Regardless of your feelings towards us, our purpose remains. You are the sixteen people chosen to potentially change the course of our existence."
"You wanna tell us what that means?" Kaito turned to see a shorter figure, reclining on another chair. He wore a hat that gave him the illusion of pointy ears, but the most surprising part of his appearance was that his hands were handcuffed behind his back.
"I would think you of all people would be exceedingly grateful to be here, Mr. Hoshi." the woman said, her tone slightly colder. "You are not in a position to ask questions, but rest assured, you will have all your answers in due time."
"It's Ryoma, I'm not that kind of person worthy of any respect, but if I'm gonna die for you people, at least grant me that." Ryoma said, eyeing the woman suspiciously. "You can do whatever you want with me, but I'm not sure if I'm cool with you sacrificing fifteen innocents. You still got a long way to go to earn anyone's trust."
"You do not need to trust us." the woman continued. "And rest assured, no one is going to die. You will return to earth as heroes, famous. Except you, Mr. Hoshi. I only see a dark prison cell for you."
Ryoma held the woman's gaze a moment longer, before sighing. "Guess I'm not getting anything out of you, am I."
The woman continued as if nothing had happened. "You know the premise of your mission, but not the details. I am here to enlighten you on that." she clasped her hands together. "You have been chosen specifically to be sent to the heart of the Invasion, to gather information that may change the direction of this war. Your goals include learning as much about these oppressors as possible, and finding a cure for the plague."
"Jeez, no pressure huh?" Kaede said softly, glancing at Kaito and Rantaro. Kaito tried to offer her a reassuring smile, but Rantaro's face was cold.
"What if we find hostages? Can we try to save them?"
"No, Mr. Amami. Any and all victims of the Abductions are considered dead. Even if you do find someone alive, you are to leave them, no matter their connection to you."
"And if I don't?" Rantaro asked. Kaito was surprised about how threatening he had become. It was a stark change from the relaxed, friendly boy he'd thought Rantaro to be.
"You will be forced to witness their execution upon their entry of Earth premises." the woman said flatly. "Do not make us regret choosing you for this mission. There is always room in the cell for you with Mr. Hoshi."
Rantaro gritted his teeth, but relaxed. Kaede put a hand on his arm, eyes showing her concern.
"Any other questions?" the woman asked.
"Wait! That's it!" the girl who called Kaito a degenerate jumped up. "You said you were gonna answer our questions!"
"Ms. Chabashira, please calm yourself. You have been given all the information you need as of now." the woman said. "You will be given more instructions in due time. For now, please use the next hour to acquaint yourselves with one another. We will return for you then."
"This is bullshit!" Kokichi called at their retreating backs, but neither the woman or her companions turned around. Soon the doors slid shut behind them, and the Ultimates were alone.
"So, I guess we should introduce ourselves, huh?" Kaede said, forcing a smile. "Hey everyone, I'm Kaede Akamatsu. My title is the Ultimate pianist. It's really nice to meet you all."
The tense air of the room dissipated a little under Kaede's bright smile. Kaito saw Chabashira physically relax.
"My name's Tenko. Tenko Chabashira. I'm the Ultimate Aikido Master." Tenko said proudly. "Don't worry! I'm going to protect every woman in this crew. The men though, you're on your own, you useless degenerates."
"Um, nice to meet you." Kaede said, a little taken aback at her ferocity.
Kaito watched as Rantaro and Miu introduced themselves to nods of respect. Their talents were definitely something. Just wait until he had his turn. He'd bring down the house!
Before he could speak, Kaede turned to Ryoma. "Ryoma, right? What's your talent?"
Ryoma shifted into a more comfortable position, although it looked difficult with the handcuffs. "Ultimate Tennis pro. But that's not important. I haven't been that in a long time."
"Wait, I've heard of you!" Kaito blurted. "You're that badass who took down an entire Mafia gang with a tennis racket! You're my hero!"
Ryoma gave him a look of pity. "You might want to pick a new one. That didn't work out so well for me. It was this mission or the electric chair."
Kaito stared. Ryoma Hoshi had been his hero for years. He had found his beginnings in the same tennis club Kaito later joined. Yeah, Ryoma was like, a lot shorter than he thought he'd be, but Kaito was more surprised about the lack of the will to live.
"Well isn't that just depressing." Kokichi said, rolling his eyes. "Moving on, I'm Kokichi Ouma, the Ultimate Supreme Leader!"
Miu stared at him. "No way that's your talent."
"Yes way!" Kokichi argued. "Would I lie to you? I would never!"
"Fuckin' virgin." Miu snorted. "Ok, someone talk over the gremlin please, I can feel my ovaries shriveling up every time he speaks."
Kaito shot her a weird look, which earned him a middle finger. He shrugged it off and faced the group. "Name's Kaito Momota, Luminary of the Stars!" he struck a pose. "I'm the Ultimate Astronaut!"
"How fascinating. I didn't think you had the scientific requirements." A figure with long dark hair said softly.
"Hey, you got something to say buddy?" Kaito snapped. "Don't call me an idiot."
"Kehehehe. I never did. What a temper. I'm looking forward to observing you." the figure tilted their head, revealing gold eyes.
"You got a talent that'll beat mine? Try me, creep!" Kaito said, raising his fists. ("What terrible form" Tenko snarked to a shorter red haired girl)
"You mistake me. I have no intentions of fighting. My name is Korekiyo Shinguji. I am known as the Ultimate Anthropologist."
"Isn't that the study of chimps or something?" Kaito asked.
Korekiyo's eyes flashed with something resembling anger. "No. It is not."
Rantaro placed a hand on Kaito's shoulder, pulling him away. "Easy there, no need to fight each other. We have other things to fight."
Kaito relaxed. He was right. Kaede took up the lead. "Who are you?" she asked to a dark haired boy. He wore a hat over his eyes.
"What? Me? Um, I'm Shuichi. Shuichi Saihara. Um, I'm the Ultimate detective..." Kaito noted how he refused to make eye contact.
"That's cool!" Kaede said encouragingly. Kaito nodded. "Yeah, way cooler than the study of chimps!"
"Anthropology is not the study of chimps-"
"Ya-ha! My name is Angie Yonaga, I am the Ultimate Artist!" The white haired girl from earlier sprung out of nowhere. "Atua and I look forward to working with you!"
Kaito looked around, but no one came up and introduced themselves as Atua. "Huh? Who? I don't see anyone."
"No silly! Atua is a god, and only I can see him!" Angie said like this was the most obvious fact in the world.
"Ooookay." Kaito said. "Cool?"
"Nyeh, religion is a pain." the red haired girl said.
"Bite your tongue!" Angie whirled on her, an almost predatory smile on her face. "By the time this mission is through, I am certain that you will all be devout converts."
Tenko stepped in front of the redhead. "Hey! You're scaring her!"
"I'm not scared." The redhead said. Upon closer inspection, Kaito noticed that she was wearing a witch's hat. "Hey, cool hat!"
"It's my magic hat." the redhead said. "I'm Himiko Yumeno. Everyone calls me the Ultimate Magician, but I'm really the Ultimate Mage."
"That's so cool!" Kaede exclaimed. "Isn't that like magic tricks and stuff?"
"It's not a trick. It's magic." Himiko pouted. "I'm a mage. I use real magic, and that's why I was invited here."
Damn, that was cool. Was she seriously magic? Kaito would definitely have to find out for sure.
"Awesome!" Kaede said. "Who's next? Hey, how about you? What's your name?"
She was talking to a girl with long, dark pigtails. She looked as if she'd rather be dead than in the room with everyone else. "I'm Maki Harukawa. My talent isn't important." Everyone waited for her to continue, but Maki turned her back on the group. Eesh, so she was friendly.
"N-nice to meet you." Kaede said, trying to seem unfazed by her harshness. "How about you?"
The turquoise haired girl she was speaking to jumped. "Oh! My turn! I almost thought I'd fade into the decoration! You know, because I'm so plain." when she was met with only blank stares, she cleared her throat and continued. "I'm Tsmugi Shirogane. I'm the Ultimate Cosplayer! I make all of my costumes from scratch, and I'm so so excited to be here, it's just like a sci-fi anime, although I don't think there will be enough lions for all of us..."
So Kaito had no idea what she was talking about. Thankfully, no one else seemed to either. Well, at least she seemed nicer than Maki. However Kaito was sure that being nicer than Maki wasn't a hard thing to do...
"Woah!" Kokichi's excited shout broke through his thoughts. "Holy crap, guys look at this!" the so called supreme leader was holding what looked to be a small magnet. There were a few maps on whiteboards with similar ones. He must have gotten it from there, Kaito thought.
"No one cares about a magnet." Miu said.
As soon as she finished speaking, Kokichi released the magnet. Kaito watched in awe as it jumped towards, and stuck on the arm of another boy.
"Tada!" Kokichi said proudly, standing up and taking a bow. The other boy looked at the magnet uncomfortably.
"What the heck?" Tenko asked. She plucked the magnet off, and released it again, only to see it stick back on.
"He's metal, genius." Miu said. "Anyone can see that. But what I'm interested in is..." she knocked on the boy's chest. "Damn, are you even human."
"Technically no." the boy admitted. "I'm K1-B0, the Ultimate robot, but please call me Kiibo. I'm a robot. Obviously. Um, please stop tapping on me."
"Make me." Miu said, before picking up more magnets. "Who wants to throw these with me!"
"Th-that's robophobic!" Kiibo cried, throwing his arms over his face as Kokichi tossed another magnet.
"Alright, that's enough." Rantaro said, prying the magnets out of Miu and Kokichi's hands. "Nice to meet you." Kiibo seemed stunned by the aid. Kaito was more stunned by the fact that he was talking to a freaking robot.
"Ok, who else hasn't gone?" Rantaro asked. He seemed to have taken it upon himself to keep the peace. "How about you?" he asked to the massive Ultimate.
"Oh, is it Gonta's turn? Gonta's name is Gonta! Gonta is Ultimate Entomologist! That mean Gonta really likes bugs! Do you like bugs?" he gave them the purest of all pure smiles.
"He's precious." Kaede said, looking at Gonta like he was a puppy.
"Bet you can't spell Entomologist." Kokichi said drily, ignoring the glare Kaede sent him.
"E-t-m-o...o-j-i-s?" Gonta offered? Kokichi burst out laughing, and Gonta looked crestfallen. "Gonta not smart. Gonta no can read or spell well."
"Hey, that's ok. I'm sure you're very smart in your own way." Kaede said. Gonta smiled at this, and clapped his hands together. "Ok, Gonta will trust what new friend is saying."
"If everyone else has gone, than I will introduce myself." the woman at the back of the room said. She was dressed fancily. "I am Kirumi Tojo, the Ultimate Maid. It is my pleasure to carry out any and all requests that you have."
"Woah, a maid and a roomba! Guess our ship's gonna be pretty clean." Kokichi said.
"Please do not call me a roomba!" Kiibo cried. Kaito felt bad for him. It couldn't be easy with all the robot jokes.
Three or four robophobic jokes later, the conversation finally died down. Kaito looked across the room awkwardly, receiving fifteen awkward stares in return. Time for the Luminary of the Stars to liven things up. Kaito was gonna say the first thing that came to mind. Three, two, one...
"Man I love blueberries. You guys like blueberries?" Kaito internally cringed. That definitely sounded intelligent.
"What? Um, sure, I do." Tsmugi said, looking confused. "They make plain old foods like yogurt taste good!"
"Gonta find lots of cool bugs in blueberry bush!" Gonta said excitedly. "So bugs must like blueberries too. Gonta does too!"
"If you would like, I could prepare a number of dishes that feature blueberries." Kirumi said. "Pies, crumbles, sauces for more savory dishes-"
"Oh my god, please be my mom!" Kokichi said. Kirumi nodded. "If that is your request."
So maybe the blueberries had been a good idea after all. The group was now offering their own opinions on blueberries, or exchanging blueberry related stories. Kaede caught his eye and gave him a thumbs up.
The feeling of elation faded as the doors slid open, and everyone shut up. The woman and her companions strode back in, regarding everyone calmly. "I see you are getting along well." she continued speaking without giving anyone a chance to respond. "It is time to begin preparations for the launch. Please enter the lavatories to change into your uniforms, and meet in the center wing for final checks and health screenings." Kaito tried to ignore the cold twinge in his stomach. The woman continued speaking. "We will not tolerate tardiness. If you fail to show, you will be left behind. That is all."
Like a machine, she and her companions turned on their heels and strode out the door. Creepy, Kaito thought.
Kaede's voice broke the silence. "Well, I guess we'd better get going then!" despite her bright tone, no one could ignore the note of uncertainty. The entire room gave off a fear of nerves. This was happening so quickly...
Kaito jumped to his feet. "Yup! I don't know about you guys, but I'm not missing out on this! I'll see whoever has the balls to be there on the launch pad!" he grinned before exiting the room and making his way towards the men's restroom. Kaito didn't look behind him, looking back wouldn't look cool. But he had the feeling that everyone was following behind him to the restroom.
But not the girls. That would be weird. They were all following him to the restroom, but would split off into one or the other.
Dammit, this wasn't a very cool train of thought was it.