Prologue: Transfer Student

Someone’s POV

13.772 billion years ago, everything started with a gigantic explosion. The explosion scattered all of its matter and energy, and the temperature before was so high, higher than the hottest recorded temperature that we observed today. 377,000 years after the Big Bang, free electrons combined to form neutral atoms; and once combined, the electrons quickly generated energy in the form of one or more photons as they transitioned to low energy state. The universe has become transparent to all electromagnetic radiations.

Around 150 million years to 1 billion years after the Big Bang, the universe was slowly illuminated by the formation of the stars, dwarf galaxies and quasars, which was followed by large galaxy formation and superclusters. 13.51 billion years ago, our galaxy, the Milky Way, has formed. The formation of Solar System began 4.6 billion years ago, via the gravitational collapse of the molecular clouds, forming pre-solar nebula. With the accordance of Conservation of Angular Momentum, the nebula spun faster as it collapsed. Over about 100,000 years, the contracting nebula flattened into a spinning protoplanetary disc and formed a hot, dense protostar at the center. The planets were also formed.

Earth was formed about 4.54 billion years ago, starting from Hadean Eon, when the Earth is still hot from its birth. On Archean Eon, 4,000 million years ago, the first form of life, Prokaryote organisms, emerged at the very beginning of this eon. 2,500 million years ago, on Proterozoic Eon, the Eukaryotes, a more complex form of life, emerged including some forms of multicellular organisms. Finally, on Phanerozoic Eon, 541 million years ago, vertebrate organisms dominated the world followed by the appearance of all familiar forms of plants, animals and fungi. Modern animals – including humans – evolve at the most recent of this eon. And to the present period.

National Route 139, Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan; Monday, April 18, 2016, 7:45 am

Sitting comfortably on the right back seat of the bus, I’m currently reading an astronomical book, while listening to the playlist of my smartphone using my noise-cancelling headphones. As I’m done reading the whole book, I put it inside of my backpack. I looked from the window and saw the Japan’s highest mountain, Mount Fuji, behind those spring-bloomed trees. I then switched my perspective and looked at my uniform.

My uniform is composed of a green tartan miniskirt, a white blouse, a red necktie, and a silver blazer with a school crest. The school crest is composed of a green star with the overlapped letters ‘A’ and ‘H’. In my perspective, my entire school uniform represents a dead forest covered by a gray fog. To make it worse, the school that I’m transferred to is situated near that forest. Cute, but creepy.

From the window, I saw some female students, with uniforms similar to mine, walking on the side road. It means that my destination is near. I stand from my seat to get my things from the luggage rack. What I get from the luggage rack is a 130 cm storage tube, the tool used to store fishing rods. After I removed my headphones and placed it on my neck, I heard the male voice coming from the bus speaker.

“Now arriving: Aokigahara Girls’ High School (青木ヶ原女子高等学校, Aokigahara Joshikoto Gakkou)”

Exiting the provincial bus, I take out two luggage bags from the baggage hold. After saying thanks to the bus driver, the bus left the bus stop. I cracked the joints of my hand, which caused popping sounds, while I look at the slightly steep road leading to the school.

“Well then.” I smiled. I put my backpack on my back and pulled my luggage bags as I ascended to the road.

Gate Entrance, Aokigahara Girls’ High School, Fujikawaguchiko Town, Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan; Wednesday, April 27, 2016, 8:20 am

I finally saw an opened school gate. Luckily, I managed to get here early in my first day of school. As I reached the school gate, I saw a girl skating at a really fast speed. She’s wearing a uniform similar to mine, the only difference is that she’s wearing a black-and-red hoodie jacket over her uniform and a set of headphones hanging on her neck. Several inches away from bumping to me, she gracefully performed an aerial twist in the air, passing above me. After her left feet touches the ground, she kicks the surface for an aerial cartwheel. Later, she stood on both of her feet to a complete stop.

“Using two aerials to reduce the momentum from her skating. What a genius girl.” I applauded.

“More like recklessness. She always does that right before the bell rings.” I looked at the source of the voice and saw three girls approaching me. When I saw a red armband, it only means one thing.

“Student Council.” I whispered.

“Hi, you must be the transfer student that our principal mentioned. I’m Sakurai Reika, 2^nd year student and Student Council President.” The girl in center said.

“I’m Wakatsuki Yumi, 2^nd year student and Student Council Vice-president.” The girl on the right side said.

“I’m Hoshino Minami, 1^st year student and Student Council Secretary.” The girl on the left side looked at me with cutesy smile. Yup, she’s cute.

“Sumimasen! Did I scare you?” The skater girl approached me.

“Oi! Kizaki Yuria! Didn’t I tell you to stop overspeeding? You’ve been scaring our students here!” Wakatsuki-senpai scolded her.

“Your club president will scold you later.” Hoshino-san smirked.

“I thought I’m late. Sorry. Hahahaha.” The girl named Kizaki Yuria scratched her nape.

‘Kizaki-san, be careful. You’ve been permitted to use roller skates as a way of travel. Next time, wake up early and lessen your gaming sessions at night. Do you understand?” Sakurai-senpai said.

“Hai~.” Kizaki-san said nonchalantly. “I’m Kizaki Yuria, 1^st year student.” She added. “You’re in class 1-B right?” she asked. I nodded.

“Then we will be classmates along with Hoshino-chan.” Kizaki-san and Hoshino-san performed high five. Kizaki-san felt a vibration in her blazers. She checked it, revealing her smartphone. Once she read the mail, Kizaki-san looked to a part of the school with glaring eyes.

“Urusai na, Shiraishi-senpai.” Kizaki-san replied to the mail then stick her tongue out. She looked at her watch and gasped.

“Oh , it’s already time. See you later~!” Kizaki-san ran off to the school building.

“We will carry your luggage to your designated room in Aokigahara Girls’ Dormitory. Hoshino-chan, please take our transferee student to your class.” Sakurai-senpai and Wakatsuki-senpai took my luggage bags. I also gave the very long storage tube to Wakatsuki-senpai. Wakatsuki-senpai looked at me with a curious look while she’s holding the 130 cm storage tube that looks like a drafting tube. Nevertheless, she slung it on her back while bringing my luggage bag.

“Well then, shall we?” Hoshino-san said as she guided me to our classroom.

Class 1-B Room, Aokigahara Girls’ High School, Fujikawaguchiko Town, Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan; Wednesday, April 27, 2016, 8:35 am

“Wait here.” Hoshino-san instructed me as she entered the classroom. Then she talked to the teacher inside the classroom. After several minutes, the homeroom teacher went out to the classroom to meet me.

“Hi, I’m Fukagawa Mai and I will be your homeroom teacher in class 1-B.” I bowed to Fukagawa-sensei in a 45-degree angle.

“Come inside and introduce yourself to your new classmates.” Fukagawa-sensei opened the door as she went back inside. I followed her suit and stood in front of the class. The class is still noisy despite of my presence as a new student. On the right back of the classroom near the window, I saw Kizaki-san waving at me. Hoshino-san went to her seat, which is in the right front of the classroom, near the teacher’s desk.

“Children, please be quiet!” Fukagawa-sensei slammed her both of her hands on the teacher’s desk. Right before she slammed her hands on it, I instantly used my headphones to cover my ears, and then I saw Kizaki-san do the same. As soon as our homeroom teacher’s palm swiftly contacted the desk’s surface, all of the students covered their ears using their hands. I saw the table slightly vibrating. Just how powerful is her slam that it makes the entire class and I cover our ears. As both Kizaki-san and I removed our headphones, the slamming sound was gone and the classroom is now in pure silence, although the vibrations on the teacher’s table dissipate slower than the sound in the air.

“Everyone, this transferee will be your new classmate. Well, would you please introduce yourself to your classmates?” I looked at my classmates with slight nervous. Fukagawa-sensei write my name vertically on the blackboard.

“I’m from Osaka Prefecture, Nishino Nanase desu. Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu.”

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This is the story of a team, disguising as a high school club, which deals and investigates paranormal, supernatural, and preternatural incidents and events that create havoc in society; and fighting the forces, such as ghosts, demons, vampires etc., that cause events, using their abilities, unique powers and various state-of-the-art technologies.