Prologue 1-1

A/N: Thank you to everyone who submitted OCs. Sadly I only had 16 spots and over 25 submissions, so I had to make some cuts. I just want to say right now that none of the OCs I got were bad-some of them just wouldn't have fit with the story.

So, the OCs that I accepted are:

Faen Skylark - SHSL Butler

Xiang Li - SHSL Soldier

Todd Dunham - SHSL Acrobat

JJ Jackson - SHSL Lawyer

Matthew Tanner - SHSL Mathematician

Eric Andrews - SHSL Stage Fighter

Hideki Kenta - SHSL Surgeon

Ava Tremblay - SHSL Hockey Player

Lucille DuCarde - SHSL Formula-1 Racer

Ashley Jung - SHSL K-Pop Idol

Maya Metl - SHSL Failure

Nico Birza - SHSL EDM

Phuong Tien Lam - SHSL Scientist

Jackie Ressa - SHSL Lolita Model

Sasha Oryolov - SHSL Political Activist

Johan Otto - SHSL Babysitter

I only introduced about five of them this chapter, so don't worry if your OC hasn't been shown yet - they will be.

"Ma'am, please remove all electronic gadgetry from your person. That includes your headphones."

"Aw come on, man! That's not fair! These babies are a part of me!"

I watched as the girl in front of me pouted, before removing said headphones from around her neck and dropping them into a separate basket for electronics. I could see why she was so reluctant to part with them, though - they looked like a particularly expensive model, since they were wireless. I could really use some of those for when I'm recording...

Oh, whoops, sorry! I forgot to introduce myself. Hi there, I'm Ashley, Ashley Jubilee Jung. Just call me Ashley, though.

I have maroon-red hair that falls across my shoulders, and brown eyes. Right now, I'm wearing my normal attire - a black, strapped, velvet dress, that hugs my curves and flows down to my ankles. I also have on my favourite pair of gold earrings, and a pair of snazzy black headphones around my neck.

I know what you're thinking: what kind of normal attire is that? Well...you'll see.

Currently, I'm waiting in the boarding line in Logan International Airport, gate 11037, waiting for my turn. In less than an hour, I, and fifteen others like myself, would be taking off from here in a private jet, bound for Japan. Or more specifically, Hope's Peak: Ki-bo-u-ga-mi-ne Private Academy (or however it's pronounced).

Hope's Peak Academy...I'd heard many good things being spoken or written about it. It's a school for the truly gifted, the best in their fields at highschool age - around fifteen-to-eighteen. Graduation is said to guarantee success for life, and even just attending it immediately increases your worth as a person.

And I was going to be attending it, as the SHSL K-Pop Idol.

ASHLEY JUNG - SHSL K-POP IDOL

Yes, I know, it's not exactly a very...influential talent, but for someone like me, I believe it'll do.

"Ma'am?"

I shook my head, snapping myself out of my thoughts. If the man gesturing in front was any indication, it was my turn.

I dropped my headphones, which weren't nearly as nice as the other girl's, and my group's electronic badge into the basket with no resistance, and walked right on through. The man gave me a relieved nod - he'd dealt with around ten highschoolers already, and it was clearly beginning to weigh on him.

"Bluh," I heard from behind me, "You can't be serious. I need my laptop, man. I've got serious business to do."

"That serious business can wait until you're at an altitude of at least ten thousand feet, miss."

"Ugh. Fine."

...I guess the rumours that SHSL students were an eclectic bunch weren't quite so unfounded after all.

As I picked up my accessories, the girl in front of me, who I believe had not gone through the metal detector for some reason, glanced over at them, before gasping and looking right at me.

"Ohmygosh, I know you! You're...Ashie! Of Heartfuls!" she whooped, clearly pleased with herself.

I beamed. Looks like my reputation did indeed precede me - I just wish the gals were here with me too, though...

"Yes, I am. Uh, and who are you?" I inquired.

"I'm Nicolette!" she practically yelled in my face, holding out a hand, "Nicolette Birza! It's really really really really nice to meet you in person!"

Flinching slightly, nevertheless, I returned the handshake - well, more like she took it and shook it before I could actually respond. "I guess you're one of my new classmates?"

"You betcha! I'm the S-H-S-L-E-D-M!" she paused for emphasis.

NICOLETTE BIRZA - SHSL EDM?

EDM...? Wait a moment-

"I'm sorry...But what did you say your name was, again?" I asked.

"Nicolette Birza!" she chirped, neatly sliding her pair of neon-green headphones back around her neck, "I think you might know me better as Nico di Angelo, the Super High School Level Electronic Dance Musician!"

THE Nico di Angelo?!

NICO DI ANGELO - SHSL ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSICIAN

Even though I've primarily surrounded myself with any and all things Korean, I've listened to quite a lot of different genres of music over the years. And recently, there had been a new artist who exploded onto the scene, calling who I thought was 'himself', an Australian named Nico di Angelo. No one had ever actually known how he had gained renown so fast, nor how he actually looked like, but the club music that Nico produced was nothing short of awesome, and had been broadcasted worldwide in over a hundred countries. I'll even admit that the gals and I have partied to some of his music on quite a few occasions...Maybe not just a few.

But I'd always pictured Nico to be a guy, like, someone in his late twenties, who was just shy to be in the spotlight...To think that 'he' was really the crimson-eyed girl standing right in front of me...I was in awe.

She looked younger than me, which was saying a lot, since I was seventeen. A cowlick of sandy-brown hair across the right side of her head led down to a lush, waist-length swathe that trailed messily across her back. She had on a pink short parka which exposed both her midriff and...lack of curves, along with a knee-length skirt over stockings and laced boots.

...Definitely not what I would have expected from the producer of songs like 'Macabre Circus' and 'Arcananonymous'. She's so...chipper.

"Earth to Ashie, Earth to Ashie! Are you there?" Nico waved a hand in front of my face, "You've been staring at me for the last minute, and I think the chick behind you's getting feisty!"

"Excuse you."

I looked at the girl behind me. She was noticeably thin and gangly-kinda like how I'd imagined Nico, to be honest. She had pronounced bags under her eyes, standing out against her pale skin. Her outfit was rather weird as well - she'd coupled jeans, combat boots, and a rough, slightly below the chin hairstyle - clearly dyed, no less (although it was rather washed-out, and mostly her natural chestnut, with only a few clearly visible burgundy streaks) with a sweater-vest, dress shirt, tie, and the weirdest coat I'd ever seen - it was a knee-length indigo trenchcoat made of windbreaker material, with suit-like lapels underneath a buttoned-on hood. She wore a pair of thick black headphones around her neck.

Everyone here was eccentric, but this girl really took the cake. And probably ate it too.

"Hey, Ashie. Stop staring at me, will 'ya? You're starting to creep me out, and I am not faint of heart or mind."

"Oh...sorry," I muttered, "Wait, you know me too?"

She scratched the back of her head. "Kinda hard to avoid K-Pop on Tumblr, really. As much as I do try."

"You don't like K-Pop?"

Nico looked at her, almost intrigued. "What kind of music do you like, then?"

"Three words - Fall Out Boy. I'm also a classically trained violinist, but that's neither here nor there. Now, what was I saying? Oh, yeah, I'm not feisty, as you put it. Or a chick, for that matter."

"Oh, crap! Sorry, man!" yelled Nico, blushing.

He ground his teeth. "Not a man, either."

I stared blankly. "Then what-"

"Agender. I am agender, and I swear to fucking god if I had a dime for every time I've had to explain the ins and outs of my dysphoria and gender identity to cissexist fucks, you'd be here and I'd be in a penthouse in London with my new ten-thousand dollar computer."

Agender... So that explained the androgynous physique and small chest. I wondered how they had achieved such a level of androgyny, but figured they would get angry again if I asked.

Then again, Nico was almost as flat as them...oh dear.

"Ooooooooh...Touchy subject. You want 'they' pronouns then?" Nico muttered nonchalantly.

"I-what? Sure, I mean, I prefer she, but as long as you don't call me 'he' I should be fine. That's actually…" All the anger seemed to fade from her grey eyes, "Wow, I am pleasantly surprised. From once not everyone I meet is a total meshugenah."

"What language even is that?"

"Yiddish, because I make a policy of establishing myself as the token Ashkenazim the moment I walk into a room. I'm secular, not that it matters."

Nico knocked her head. "Ashkenazim? Isn't that like...one of the types of angels or something like that? I didn't really pay enough attention in Sunday school."

She sighed. "Jew. It means Jew. I am Jewish. Force-feed me matzoh balls and call me Jacob Ben Israel 'cause I'm Jewish McHebrew."

"I didn't-"

"Of course you didn't mean it that way. No one ever does. God, I need to stop going off like this on well-intentioned musicians. I'm sorry, that was out of line." She paused awkwardly. "Uh...see ya, I guess?"

She started to walk off, before I called for her, "No, wait. What's your name?"

She turned and stared me in the eyes. "Why do you care?"

"Um...we're classmates?" I offered.

"Alright, fair 'nuff. You're not that bad, Ashie." She held out a black-gloved hand, which was adorned with several hair ties and a white watch adorned with a gold fleur-de-lis, which seemed rather redundant considering the black pocket-watch chain poking out of her coat pocket. "I'm Sasha Oryolov, the SHSL Political Activist."

SASHA ORYOLOV - SHSL POLITICAL ACTIVIST

Another name I recognized...Sasha Oryolov was rather famous around the world. Despite her origins as a blogger and debate team member, she quickly became influential, to the point of overturning an unjust federal law and being nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. She sure gave off that activist vibe, although I wasn't quite sure that was a good thing.

"You're from Russia?" asked Nico.

"I-no, I'm from Massachusetts. And the first person to call me 'Comrade' gets a foot up their ass."

"Oi! You people are hogging up the line! Move it or lose it!" Said someone with a noticeable, but somewhat exaggerated English accent.

The three of us collectively turned around, to find a guy who was even taller, thinner and weedier-looking than Sasha. Unlike Sasha, however, he was...rather attractive. As opposed to a teenager in a vaguely oversized coat, he was rather attractive, that is. Not that there isn't a niche audience that would find Sasha attractive, but I digress. He wore a simple white dress shirt with the top button undone, tucked into black dress pants and matching dress shoes. His black hair was rather disheveled.

"Move what or lose what?" Nico asked innocently.

"Your arse, or your arse!" the stranger hollered back.

"Hey, watch your fucking language," countered Sasha, completely deadpan.

"You just swore, you bloody hypocrite!"

Sasha sighed and pointed to the place where the ceiling met the far wall. "See that?"

"Yeah-"

"That's the point." She pulled a small bouncy ball out of her messenger bag. "And you see this?"

"Where are you going with-"

She threw the ball over her head without looking. "That's you." She turned over her shoulder. "Hey, could someone throw me that?"

"Oui!" someone responded with a French accent, and the ball sailed back over the crowd. Sasha caught it in one hand and shoved it back into her bag. "Sposiva, random person! Now, dude in front of me, do you get it?"

"Uh…" he paused, studying Sasha, "No?"

"Sucks to be you." she turned around, "C'mon, girls, let's go."

And with that, she strode off without another word.

"Are we gonna follow her?" I asked Nico.

"I dunno. Should we?"

"Don't you actual ladies want to introduce yourselves to me first?" asked the guy in a manner that seemed borderline seductive.

The ball soared through the air, before smacking him in the face, ending up in Nico's hands. "Ooh, nice throw! And thanks, Sash!"

"Yeah...about that," I scratched my head, as he rubbed his nose in pain, "Company rules say I can't possibly get a boyfriend. It'd ruin the image."

"Then, what about-"

"I'm engaged," Nico held up her right hand. On her ring finger was a simple silver ring, with the letters 'A/N' engraved on it. "Tough luck, pal."

"...Fine," he huffed, "In any case, I am Eric Andrews. The Super High School Level Stage Fighter."

ERIC ANDREWS - SHSL STAGE FIGHTER

I'd vaguely heard of Eric before. He was that one fantasy actor who was really popular in Europe right now. Apparently he was incredibly good at fake combat, which is part of what made him so successful. He had recently been cast in a Broadway show, from what I'd heard.

"You're not nearly as famous as Sasha or Ashie," remarked Nico.

"Bah! You plebeians are wasting my time," muttered Eric. He turned up his nose and sauntered off in the same direction as Sasha had gone in.

"Ugh, quelle barbe." It was the French voice from before, and it belonged to a woman in a white racing suit.

She was toned, and had blonde hair in a pixie cut. Her fitted white racing suit displayed numerous sponsor patches, and she wore white sneakers. She was tan, fit, moderately curvy and undeniably hot, in stark contrast to the others I had met so far.

"He is a nuisance, no?"

"Yepperoni! He sounds like he needs to get laid, big time!" Nico cheered.

"...I wouldn't say it was that bad...In any case," I turned to the French lady, "May I know who you are?"

"Je m'appelle Lucille. Lucille DuCarde, ze Super High School Level Formula-1 Racer, and I do believe you people are still holding up ze line."

LUCILLE DUCARDE - SHSL FORMULA-1 RACER

While I didn't follow motosports much, it was hard for me not to know who 'F-1's Princess Charming' was. Lucille was a world-renowned racer, champion of the European Youth Racing Championship and the youngest winner of the famously-grueling '24-Hour Race' in LeMans. I know a lot of my male friends had crushes on her, and I guess I could see why.

"Oh. I'm sorry!" I said, stepping out of the way.

"Zhat's alright, miss," she pointed a thumb behind her, "It was a mere jest. You two and I are ze last to board."

"Huh! Well, look at that, you're right!" Nico exclaimed. All we saw was the one guard from before reclining back on a chair, probably thankful that everyone else had finally entered. Following suit, Nico, Lucille and I headed towards the plane.

Well, this is it, I guess...It's going to be the start of a new chapter in my life... I'm really, really excited for this! This year's going to be great, I just know it!

"If only you knew just exactly how great it was going to be...Puhuhuhu!"

Prologue 1-1 FIN.