A New Day, Part 1

“We will be arriving shortly at Columbia Main Station,” a robotic voice announced over the loudspeaker.

Alice Weiss stood up from her seat and held onto a stanchion as she stared out the window. They were still going through a tunnel, but she could see the light at the end, and her eyes widened as it got closer and closer…

Then, almost like a flashbang had gone off, the train emerged from the tunnel, and she finally saw Columbia in all of its glory. The campus was massive, modern, and sprawling. Skyscrapers lined the streets and cars moved like blood cells in a body. But most impressively of all, Columbia’s Central Building stood tall into clouds with its various annexes spreading out like the roots of a tree.

“So this is Columbia…” Alice smiled. She couldn’t even imagine such a sight where she came from.

***

Kuro walked through the streets of Columbia. He had slept in and missed his first class, but he wasn’t too concerned about that.

Columbia was a lively school, filled with ambitious, opinionated, and occasionally short-tempered students. The chatter was incessant (except for when Kuro got too close). However, while that all had become white noise to Kuro, even he had started to pick up a change in the vibe.

“Columbia is OUR school!” the protest leader yelled from the top of the Central Building’s steps, surrounded by students holding signs. “We will NOT accept this blatant overreach from the Board!”

This protest leader was named Roberta. Despite having lost the last student council election by a hair, she didn’t quit politics and was quite engaged in activism.

“Our constitution states EXPLICITLY that all armed forces are to be the responsibility of ONLY the Council and thus the students! We will not allow the Board Security Force to be established!”

Kuro shook his head. There was no point in student protests. A balance of power might've been the intention once upon a time, but boards had all the power these days. Nothing good could come from fighting that…

***

Felicia was the newly elected Head Prefect of the Council of Prefects, Columbia’s student council. She stared out from the office of Director Davison, the de facto leader of Columbia’s Board of Directors, at the protest far down below.

“We need to delay the plan and introduce this incrementally,” Felicia said as she turned towards Davison.

“Why?” He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. “It’s completely reasonable for the Board to have our own military forces. Every other academy has that at the very least.”

“Yes, but we aren’t like every other academy.”

“You’re right. We’re better. So there’s even more of a reason.”

“The election was already divisive enough, and if Roberta’s protests get any bigger, it could become a real problem. Plus, that teacher from the Interscholastic Student Council is coming soon too.”

“You mean that woman from the Investigation Committee? The so-called mediator? Don’t worry, I’ve already thought of that.” Davison pulled out a file from his desk. “While she’s here, she’s technically a ‘consulting teacher.’ Therefore, there’s nothing wrong with having her looking after a student for a bit, right?”

Felicia picked up the file, her jaw dropping as she read the name. “You want to assign her to the Rhodes kid?”

“Of course. A problem child like that will keep her very busy, so busy that she won’t have much time to worry about protesting students or the bending of a constitution.”

“I see…” Felicia looked over the file more closely.

On paper, the plan was foolproof. However, Felicia couldn’t help but get a bad feeling about it.

***

Despite getting sidetracked and even lost a few times, Alice managed to make her way to the Central Building. Most concerningly, she saw Roberta’s protest out front. They were loud and angry, but their faces were serious. To them, this wasn’t just some frivolous stunt, it was something that really mattered.

But this is what Alice was sent here to solve. She would make sure they were heard.

Entering the building confidently, she strode across the foyer and approached the front desk.

“Hello, my name is Alice Weiss, I’m from the Interscholastic Investigation Committee. I believe I have a meeting scheduled with Director Davison.”

“Oh, yes. My apologies, but your meeting has been cancelled.” The receptionist bowed deeply.

“What? Why?”

“Extenuating circumstances. However, Director Davison has left you with a message.” The receptionist handed her a letter.

With annoyance, Alice took the letter and started reading. I’m sorry that I had to cancel our meeting. It’s a real shame. However, in the meantime, I’d like you to look after a student. I believe such an exchange will be beneficial for the relations of Columbia and the Interscholastic Student Council. Please see the file I’ve left for more details.

The Interscholastic Student Council was the federal governing body which oversaw the various academies across the Academy City. The Interscholastic Investigation Committee was the branch which investigated and resolved issues across different academies, and while they wielded a lot of power on paper, in practice, they were a lot more limited. For example, while outright rejecting the Investigation Committee came with consequences, a school could dictate many rules once the organization was admitted. And in the case of Columbia, Alice would have to babysit a problem student.

She groaned as the realization hit her. Her job just got a lot harder. Opening the folder, her heart sank further as she looked over the file of this “Kuro” boy.

Repeated disciplinary issues, poor attendance, poor grades, no club affiliations. A peer required a hospital visit after a fight with him. May have ties to criminal organizations.

Calling him a troublemaker would seem to be a severe understatement. In fact, even saying he was a delinquent was probably too kind.

However, there was one part which caught her eye.

Transferred from Rhodes after its dissolution.

Rhodes… She remembered hearing somebody mention that, but she couldn’t remember any details.

Regardless, for now, she had to play the hand she was dealt, so it was time to find this Kuro.

***

Kuro sat at his desk staring out the window. Lunch had started, although he didn’t have much of a desire to go. But as he was about to get up, he heard a voice.

“You’re Kuro, right?”

Kuro looked over, seeing the woman standing above him. “Yeah.”

The woman smiled. “My name is Alice Weiss.” She sat down in the seat beside him. “I’ll be working with you for a while.”

“And why would that be?”

“It’s a bit complicated, but basically…” She pulled out her IIC ID card. “I’m from the Interscholastic Investigation Committee and I’ve been assigned to you.”

Kuro might’ve been a problem child, but was he really so bad to require a visit from federal personnel?

“Don’t be so worried, it’s not because of anything you’ve done. It’s just political stuff.”

And that’s when everything fell into place for Kuro. “So you’re a bureaucrat, huh?”

“I’m a teacher first and foremost.”

“I’m sure you are.” Kuro looked away and back out the window.

“Anyway, it’s lunch time, right? How about we get some food?”

Kuro groaned. The last thing he wanted to deal with was some clueless adult.

***

As Kuro and Alice exited the Central Building, they saw the protest that was still raging with Roberta giving her speeches with even greater fervor than earlier.

“These protests are getting pretty heated, huh? Almost makes me wonder how Felicia managed to get elected at all, even if it was by a thin margin.” Weiss looked at Kuro. “What do you think about all this, Kuro?”

“Not much.”

“Really?” She scratched her face. “Did you vote in the election?”

Kuro scoffed, “Of course not.”

“What do you mean? Don’t you care about who’s running the student council?”

Shaking his head, Kuro said, “It doesn’t matter. It was all decided before a ballot was even cast anyway.”

Weiss stopped in her tracks. “What?”

Kuro looked over his shoulder, his face showing that he said too much. “Nevermind, it’s nothing.”

“Kuro.” Weiss tried reaching out.

“Just forget about it.” Kuro turned his head and walked away.

“No, wait!” Alice rushed to catch up with him. “What did you mean by that? What do you mean it was already ‘all decided’?”

Kuro sighed. “If you’re really in the Investigation Committee then why don’t you go investigate it yourself?”

Without another word, Kuro walked away, leaving Alice behind.

But as Alice went after him, she realized something…

There really was more to Kuro than met the eye…