Arc-V: Cultivating Future

Stranger in a Strange Land (It Can Be Worse)

Predictably, once the implication and reality of our current situation sink in, our biggest hurdle was to stopping Shun from doing something absolutely stupid.

Namely, we had to pin him down before he can storm off. Though since he was much stronger than expected, Sora take liberty to knock him out.

Perhaps with too much force than necessary.

And glee. Don't forget that.

"We're sorry for troubling you." I bowed to Yugo, who lend his room to us. "We're really, really, sorry."

"Nah, it's fine. I mean, Yuya did help me out once, so at least this way I can pay him back." He grinned. "By the way, how many you guys are?"

Sora and I exchange a look.

Let's see. Us three, Yuya, Yuzu, Gongenzaka, Serena, Yuto, Sawatari, the Ninja Duo—right, neither of them getting carded because I distract Yuri long enough for Akabaka to be impatient and recalls him—Reiji, and Reira. "Ten others." The LDS Trio were left behind, alongside other chosen duelist to protect Standard in case Academia launch another invasion when we were away.

"Assuming we were divided into group of three to four, there's at least three groups."

Either it was like canon, except Yuzu and Yuto were grouped together, being extra they are, or the lists are shuffled. Either way, I hope someone responsible were around Serena and Sawatari. Those two doesn't know self-restrain even if it whacked them in the head with a plaque.

"Hey, banana-bangs." Sora! Really?! "How bad the jail here can be?"

"It's called Facility but everyone know it was prison for any misbehaving commons." Yugo harumphed as she sat cross legged on the floor. "Basically, any Security who found commons broke the line, even if it was imaginary or made-up, they're thrown there. Usually for a long time. Dunno how long, but one thing for certain, anyone who were thrown there and to be released, usually got brand on their face."

"Brand?"

"Some kind of special tattoo. It was a stigma, for any Tops to call the commons with brands as 'Criminal'. And it cannot be erased. Ever. Once you get it, the stigma follows you for life."

"And here I thought Academia is fucked up." Huffed Sora, bemused. "At least we didn't brand people like animal."

Please don't make it a competition of which dimension is worse. That's just depressing.

"Either way, we need a way to gather us all together." Maybe not Reiji. Crimson Dragon knows where he landed, to be able to sway the Council in Canon. Surely he better off where he landed. Or not. "Anyone know how?"

If it was close to Canon, where Yuya's group was brought in by Crow, then I just need a damn map or maybe I can send my monsters to trace them. That assuming it was anything like Canon. But you know the rules in Self-Insert OC or any Isekai-involves plot.

Always assume Canon as suggestion and not a rule.

"...I think I can get us help?" You do? "The Orphanage Director has some connections. He can help us."

"What makes you think he would?" Good point Sora. We are strangers and freeloaders. The Director was under no obligation to help us. Life as Commons is hard enough as it was. I know this is orphanage, but that doesn't mean they take just about anyone.

Or do they?

Yugo smiled a little, "well, he has a case of bleeding heart, as his sister likes to say."

Can't say I'm surprised. Yugo's backstory has quite a hole. In fact, all of Yuya's counterparts have backstories full of plot holes and was left blank. So, it won't surprise me for someone to stand in and fills the gap.