Episode 1 – Opening Scene
"Salutations Inspector! Lovely day we're having, don't you think?"
"Can it, buster! This time we've got you! You made a big mistake sending that card! And in broad daylight as well!"
"Oh, I wouldn't say that. We're currently inside after all."
"Quiet you! You thought to you could waltz in her and steal the Rainbow Star Gem! Well think again! You won't be stealing anything except for your fellow inmate's cutlery once you're behind bars!"
"Au contraire, good inspector! Everything has been going completely to plan!"
"Is that so, Phantom Blue? We've got every available officer securing this building and the surrounding area! You're not getting away this time!"
"And you say that every time we meet like this. I seriously recommend that you get some new material."
"Why you! I won't need to say anything to you ever again after today!"
"Hmm, let me ask you something, Inspector. Did you know that the owner of this place is a real cheapskate? He absolutely refuses to turn on the lights inside so he had the wiring modified to only ever work at night all just to save a bit of money when he's already a millionaire."
"So? What of it?"
"Did you also know that there's a solar eclipse today in about five seconds?"
"Wait what – SHIT! WHO TURNED OUT THE LIGHTS!?"
"Inspector! What do we do!?"
"Shit. SHIT! ALL OFFICERS GET YOUR TORCHES OUT IMMEDIATELY! I'M NOT LETTING HIM GET AWAY!"
"Inspector! Everyone's torches are missing!"
"What!?"
"It's no good, Inspector! We've completely lost him!"
"Until next time, Inspector! I'll be seeing you again soon at the Silver Song Gala!"
"DAAAAAAMN YOU, PHANTOM BLUE!
*Beep*
*Beep*
"Bwah?" You open your eyes and momentary wonder why you're suddenly in someone's bed. Then you promptly fall out when you try and get out, your body having been entangled by your mutinous blanket. "GAH!"
About five seconds of lying on the floor of your bedroom helps you remember that you were having a dream and that you are no longer the legendary gentlemen thief, Phantom Blue.
Yet again sleep has brought you another memory from your past life. You push down the disappointment that tries to bubble up once you realise that the Rainbow Star gem is no longer in your possession and as far as you know, it does not exist anywhere in this world.
A pity since its ever-changing prismatic hue always made for a wonderful paperweight.
You're not sure when the dreams started or the vivid flashbacks to a life that wasn't your own but in many ways it helps fill the tedium of daily life as a high school student. Along with the dreams come various bits of knowledge and the skill required to become a phantom thief. Of course, all this coming from dreams or random flashes of memories, more often than not without context, it's been slow going trying to regain the skills that made you the greatest thief in the world.
You have however been able to bring at least one particular skill-set close to that of the legendary Phantom Blue. Your other skills, not so much, but still better than what a high school student should be capable of.
That one particular skill that you're close to mastering is: -
[ ] Infiltration – You know how to break into and out of a lot of places, bypass various security measures and sneak past the guards to get to where you want to go. Phantom Blue once walked right into the most secure and isolated prison in the world and walked right back out after leaving some donuts for the director.
[ ] Disguises – You are a very good at becoming another person. Age, nationality, even gender are all optional when you get into the act. Of course, you're still limited by your biology which was somehow not a problem for Phantom Blue. How the fuck did Blue manage to disguise himself as a dog?!
[ ] Sleight of Hand – You have magic fingers that seems to do anything that requires precise and delicate use of your hands. Piano playing, cheating at cards, and magic tricks – you can do them all like a pro. Its little wonder that pickpocketing comes easily to you as well. You're still not on Blue's level of skill yet though, you remember stealing the clothes of some fat snob at a party without him realising it until some pretty young thing pointed it out.
Well, regardless of whatever skills you've managed to retrain yourself in, it's probably about time for you to get ready for school.
Untangling yourself from your blanket and getting off the floor, you turn off your alarm and let out a nice loud yawn as you stretch out your back. You soon hear a knock on your door.
"Takumi! Are you up yet?" You hear your mother ask you from behind the door.
Hayashi Takumi, "Forest Artisan", that's the name your parents gave you. A rather common Japanese name but it's your name at any rate. For some reason, you can't remember Phantom Blue's real name. Not that it matters since the Legendary Thief doesn't appear to exist in this world either. Truly this world is lessened without its gallant rogue to bring a little excitement to the lives of the everyman.
Well, best not to keep your mother waiting.
As you pick up your blanket off the floor, you take a lingering look at the photo of you and your family that's on your desk. In the photo stands a family all smiling for the camera.
Your father, a tall bespectacled man with a slender build in a clean sharp suit makes a broad proud smile.
Next to him is your mother, a woman who looks younger than her age with her dark chocolate-coloured tied up into a bun behind her head and held up with ornamental hair sticks gives the camera a warm smile that any loving mother would have.
In front of them to the left is your younger sister, Sakura, a cute young girl with her light hazel brown hair tied neatly into two buns on the sides of her head. She's holds up both her hand up for a double peace sign gesture while making a wide grin.
To the right is your older sister, Setsuna, a young woman with the body of a model and long black hair. She gives the cameraman a cheeky smile while leaning against the person in the middle of the photo, you.
You are:
[ ] Write in
In this photo, you are making a small, almost non-existent, smile but in your eyes is that twinkle of genuine joy.
Family was one of the few things that Blue couldn't steal for himself.
Smirking a little, you tidy up a bit and begin your morning routine.
+++ Break +++
One quick shower, some oral hygiene taken care of, and a change of clothes, white school shirt with black straight trousers and a black school jacket with a white trim, and you're downstairs at the dining table, eating a simple breakfast of coffee and grilled cheese tomato toast. At the table is your father, whose face is hidden behind his newspaper, and your younger sister who's currently wolfing down her own breakfast of white rice, natto, fried egg, cold tofu and miso soup.
Huh, must be fuelling up for some morning club activities.
Your mother walks by with a basket full of freshly washed clothes, heading outside to put up the laundry.
"Sakura, don't gobble down your food so fast or else you'll wind up choking on it." Your mother chides your kid sister as she passes by. Sakura mumbles something with her mouth full, completely focused on devouring the meal before her.
Your older sister hasn't shown up yet so she's either didn't come home last night or she's hungover in bed.
Eh, not your problem.
"So how's school, Taku?" Your father asks from behind his newspaper.
"Can't complain." Comes your succinct answer. Your father nods, the top of his head disappearing for a moment behind the newspaper before he turns to the next paper.
"Thank you for the food!" Sakura declares as she sets down her chopsticks on top of her empty bowl. "Got to go! Promised a friend to help her train for the tournament!" She explains briefly before she heads out of the room, grabbing both her schoolbag and gym bag as she went.
Nodding, you wave goodbye, and continue eating at your own pace.
You're almost done with breakfast when you hear the stairs creak as your older sister finally comes down for breakfast. The strap of her camisole is hanging off her shoulders and she wearing skimpy pyjamas shorts.
"Morning…" Setsuna greets lazily as she plops herself on a chair at the table. Without so much as asking, she grabs your mug of coffee and downs in all in one go.
"...Nee-san, that was piping hot." You deadpan, glaring at your older sister who simply ignores it and rests her head on the table, using her breasts as a makeshift pillow.
"Ouch ouch pain. I have boobs so it's fine." She replies with a hint of playfulness.
"Boobs only work when they're not blood-related" You retort as you refill your mug with some more coffee.
"You're adopted and therefore not blood-related. Ergo, obey my boobies." Setsuna counters, lifting her head up with a serious expression. Only for her to get karate chops on the head. "Bwah!?"
"Setsuna, stop teasing your brother and put some more clothes on." Looks like mother has finished putting up the laundry. "Sometimes I wonder about that girl." You hear her mutter softly as she heads into the kitchen to make breakfast for herself and dad.
"Bleh, spoil my fun why don't you." Setsuna complains before laying her head on the table again.
Just another normal morning in the Hayashi household.
+++ Break +++
The school you go to is a co-ed school that's been around for maybe twenty years or so. It isn't far from your house and you usually walk to school. It's not prestigious, fancy or anything like that but to you who once lived a rather different life, it has its charms.
You're in class 2-A and your classroom is on the first floor off the ground floor. You arrive about five minutes before homeroom starts, greeting a few of your friends from other classes along the way. Settling down at your desk, you rest your head on the polished surface as you wait for the teacher to come and do attendence.
"Hey, Takkun!" You lift your head to see your buddy, Hamasaki Hayate greet you from his seat in front of you. "Did you hear, we're getting a new transfer student."
"Is that so." Huh, you didn't know that. It's not like you keep an ear to the rumour mill though but it sounds like something to liven up your daily high school life.
"Yeah. I hope it's a cute chick. We could do with more around here."
"Hahaha. I'm betting my lunch that it's going to be a guy, once again foiling your plans on getting close to a girl that doesn't know your true nature."
"Hey! Don't jinx it! I'm not a pervert! I'm just a man who greatly appreciates the female form, that's all!"
"Whatever you say, Hayate-kun."
Right on schedule, the classroom door to your right opens to reveal the young female teacher. Miss Eri has been teaching for a couple of years now and she was your homeroom teacher last year as well so you're pretty familiar with her, as much as a student can with their teacher at any rate. Everyone in the classroom immediately starts to quiet down as Miss Eri heads to the front of the classroom.
However, through the open classroom door that Miss Eri has unusually left opened, you see a guy waiting by the door in a uniform that's of a slightly different design of the actual uniform. Due to where their standing, you can't see their face.
"Huh, looks like I was right. It's a guy." You whisper to Hayate who immediately slumps in disappointment.
"Good morning everyone!"
"Good morning Eri-sensei!"
"Now then, before I take attendance, we have a special surprise for everyone. Today we have a new student joining our class! Please welcome Ando Hiroyuki! Please come in Ando-san!"
At the teacher's request, the new transfer student enters the room and heads to the front of the classroom. You quirk an eyebrow at his appearance.
Ando Hiroyuki is a tall slim young man with unkempt dark red hair that juts out in all direction and has deep blue eyes. While not a bishonen, his looks are better than average you guess. His uniform, you realise is actually an old design that was used by your school until a few years back. He seems a little nervous but he puts on a brave face and bows towards everyone.
As far as you can tell, he's just a regular teenager boy who's in a new unfamiliar school who looks just like the kind of person who would be the main protagonist of Phantom Heart, an action battle-harem anime.
So why does something about him bug you so - Wait, what was that last thought?
Before you can attempt to make sense of that last bit, Miss Eri interrupts your thoughts by asking Ando to introduce himself. "Now as you can see, he's a transfer student. Get along with him everyone. Ando-san, a self-introduction."
"Hi, I'm Ando Hiroyuki but you can call me Hiro. I used to live my dad but due to him needing to go overseas for work, I've moved in with my mum. Nice to meet you all!" His voice is clear and full of cheer. Your classmates starts muttering and whispering to each other but it looks like he made a good impression.
"Thank you Ando-san. Now that empty seat by the window is yours. The next to you is Matsumoto-san, our class-representative and she will be looking after you."
Nodding Ando heads over to his seat but stops in front of Matsumoto Miyuki, the class-rep and one of the more prettier girls in the school. Curiously, Matsumoto seems to be trying her best not to make eye contact with Ando.
"Um, is there something I could help you with, Ando-san?" Was that a dollop of nervousness you hear in the school idol's voice.
"Mi-chan? Is that you?"
"Geh." And Matsumoto' face turns red. That's a first.
"Mi-chan! It is you! It's been forever!"
"Um, yeah. You too, Hiroyuki-kun."
"This is awesome! I never expect to see you here in all places. You haven't changed at all!"
"Wait, what do you mean by that!?"
"Well you still have the same hairstyle and ribbon from when we were five."
You start tuning out the two as Matsumoto seem indignant about something. Any anxiety that Ando was having appears to have been blown away the moment he recognised Matsumoto as someone he knew. Already you are connecting the dots and you're not the only one.
"No way, don't tell me... "
"This scene. It's just like in my manga!"
"No no no! Did he just raise the childhood friend flag!? With the school's idol as well!? "
"Hiro, you idiot!" And Matsumoto, unable to hold herself back, gives Ando with a gut punch of feline wrath.
Ouch. That looks painful.
And it looks like Ando is used to it. Huh.
+++ break +++
Once the initial chaos sparked off by Matsumoto's breakdown of her elegant character had died down, Miss Eri took attendance. When that was done, the class was left with about ten minutes of free time before first period. Predictably, most of the class was crowding around Ando and Matsumoto, asking about Ando and what his relationship with the class-rep. For your part you weren't really interested in the new guy.
Except that there's this niggling feeling at the back of your head that keeps telling you that he's important somehow.
So you're not sure what to do.
Maybe you should:
[ ] Go over and introduce yourself and maybe learn more about the guy.
[ ] Attempt to make sense of why you subconsciously called Ando an action battle harem anime protagonist.
[ ] Ignore the racket and rest your head. Screw the transfer student. You didn't get enough coffee this morning.
[ ] Write in
