A.N: I do not own Danganronpa or any of the characters mentioned in this story.
Chapter One: Introduction to 78th
When Makoto pushed open the doors of the gymnasium, he was far from expecting that the fifteen people gathered inside would be fifteen people he would never, ever forget. Class 78th, a generation of young people so talented, they were expected to be the leaders of the world of tomorrow.
And among them was Makoto Naegi, a guy like any other. That's what everyone believed - himself included - at least.
Because he was not just the Ultimate Lucky Student chosen randomly to be a part of this top-notch class, far from it. The moment he entered through the doors to this gymnasium, the Hope of the world had been entrusted to him.
Not that he knew that, of course…
So those people will be my classmates, huh…? Makoto wondered as he stepped deeper inside the gym, no one really acknowledging his presence… apart from one person.
"Young man!" they shouted at him. "You are late by exactly two minutes! That behavior is not fitting of such a school environment!"
This took Makoto by surprise. His plan had been to enter the gym as the instructions he had received at home said, listen to the welcoming speech, then overcome his shyness and introduce himself to his classmates. However, there had been this black-haired boy dressed in an entirely white uniform shouting at him the second he stepped inside.
In a nutshell, not what he had expected.
"M-Me?" he weakly muttered and noticed the fourteen other students turning their gazes towards him. Great… He thought as he tried to avoid their eyes as best as he could. But when he remembered that they were all Ultimate students in one way or another, he felt even more pressured by their looks.
Luckily for Makoto, the boy who had reprimanded him for his tardiness got the entire attention of their classmates as soon as he spoke up again. "Indeed! I expect you to be more punctual from now on!"
What in the world is happening? Was all Makoto could think as the shouting ceased and the boy in white turned back around to face the podium at the end of the gym. I might have been late, yeah, but all this shouting for only two minutes…?
Before Makoto could ponder his situation any longer, he noticed all his classmates suddenly looking forward to the stand on the podium. The lucky student did the same and noticed two men entering from a backdoor. Considering the occasion, Makoto took a guess and thought one of them was the Principal of Hope's Peak. And it wasn't hard to guess who it was, since, out of the two, one was wearing a dark-blue tuxedo and wore a serious expression on his face while the other wore a white suit and hat and was holding a little bottle, presumably of alcohol.
The Principal sure looks important… Makoto thought as the man in the dark suit approached the stand, the other - who Makoto had not identified - stood next to him, his expression a lot less serious. Well, he is the Principal of the best school in Japan, so I suppose it makes sense.
Averting his eyes from the Principal and his supposed colleague, Makoto glanced around the room at his new classmates. He knew he had definitely recognized the blue-haired girl standing more in the front as well as the red-haired boy chilling in the middle of the room. And there was this girl with the long blonde/pinkish hair tied in two ponytails he couldn't have missed, even if he had wanted: she appeared in every fashion magazine his sister read!
The other twelve, however, didn't ring any bells. But there was one person he took a special interest in. A lavender-haired girl on the left side of the gym. He could only see her from the side and barely saw her face, but the thing that set her apart from the rest of the group was the fact she had her hands curled up into fists, visibly frustrated about something.
How is it possible to be frustrated over anything when you are about to integrate such a prestigious school? The Ultimate Lucky Student wondered as he looked at the girl for a few more seconds before he was snapped out of it by a voice coming from the podium.
"Well, good morning to the sixteen of you," the man in the dark-blue tuxedo said, catching the attention of everyone in the room. "My name is Jin Kirigiri, and I am the Headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy. This man next to me is the Talent Scout of this institution as the one who detected you in the first place, Mr. Koichi Kizakura."
Well, not me, I suppose. Makoto thought and was reminded that he was an exception in his new class. No scout had come to see his talent since well… he didn't have one. But it made sense that a school like this would need someone to scout potential talents. It just surprised Makoto that a visibly carefree man such as the one next to the Principal could hold such an important position. Don't judge a book by its cover, I guess?
"To begin, I would like to congratulate all of you for entering this school. Integrating the Main Course of Hope's Peal Academy is a feat in and of itself, and if you are standing here today, you probably deserve it," the Headmaster added, his tone still serious yet maybe a little more friendly. "But this is only the beginning of your adventure. Your role, as students of this school, is to ensure the prosperity of tomorrow's world. You are all talented enough to do it, and with enough hard work, I have no doubt you will be able to succeed."
'Ensure the prosperity of tomorrow's world,' huh…? No pressure… The teen echoed the words in his mind, trying to understand just how much out of touch they were to him. Sure, he was a Main Course student, but he surely didn't see himself leading the world anytime soon!
"Now, you won't be alone. From your teachers, to myself, Mr. Kizakura and the rest of the administration, to your classmates, you'll need to find allies to overcome the challenges the graduating process of this school has to offer," Mr. Kirigiri continued, moving onto the more academic part of his speech. "Because even if you didn't need to go through an entrance exam, your improvements as future adults and Ultimates will be tested. Have no fear though: I know for a fact that if you are here today, you must have the will necessary to succeed in this Academy. Does any of you have any question so far?"
It was unusual for a speech to be cut to let those listening ask questions. It must have caught the sixteen students by surprise as much as it did Makoto since no one spoke up, leaving the Headmaster with no choice but to press onward.
"Well, visibly not," the Headmaster said. "Then I will move on to the more practical matters of your stay here. First, you all have a dormitory room to sleep and study in the south quarters, opposite to the building we currently are in. They all have a nameplate on the door and I ask you to go retrieve the key that was placed inside. This is the only exemplary that exists and if you wish to have another copy, you'll have to ask the administration. Your rooms are soundproof and equipped with a fully equipped bathroom."
To each their room, apparently. I wonder if some of my classmates will be organizing sleepovers? Makoto wondered. He had not yet introduced himself to the others and judging people's personality just by looking at them proved difficult for someone like the Ultimate Lucky Student. But he liked the idea of after-class parties and other sleepovers.
"As for building itself, you are free to move at your own discretion, but be wary that the lights will go out at 10 PM and that the hallways are equipped with video surveillance cameras. You will also find in this building different shops as well as a library and a computer room," the dark haired man added, pretty much describing the quarters the class would be spending most of their time in. "The building we are currently in is the north quarters and will only be used in certain circumstances, such as P.E classes or special events. You won't have to enter the west wing of the school considering it is reserved to the Reserve Course students. You may only enter with an authorization from the administration. As for the last wing, the east wing, this one is yours. You will share this building with Class 77th. However, you probably won't even be in contact considering that a floor has been prepared for you."
Ultimate students have their own wing of the Academy… Wow, this makes me feel more important that I probably should be… Makoto thought, an amused smile on his lips.
"Last but not least, the administration building is located just besides your building. I dearly hope you won't have to come there too much, but you never know."
"What Jin means it that if you have to go there, it means you're in trouble," the scout explained with a funny look towards the class. "But don't worry, nobody bites, they just hand out suspensions."
After ten seconds of silence, it seemed the blonde man understood his joke wouldn't find any audience and decided to go quiet, letting his colleague speak.
"If I am allowed to continue…" He sighed and glanced at his fedora-wearing colleague. "You must also know that a e-handbook has been placed in each one of your rooms to allow you to find your way on campus and send messages to your classmates and teachers. They are unbreakable but might glitch under extreme temperatures. We won't be able to give you another one if you break yours, so make sure to keep it at room temperature. To conclude, you need to know that no class is ever compulsory."
This remark earned quite the reaction from the sixteen students, Makoto included. Classes are not mandatory? How come?
"However," Mr. Kirigiri empathized. "Your presence is recommended and will be taken into consideration if you fail the exam at the end of the year. Your homeroom teacher will hold two classes a day, one at 10 AM and one at 3 PM. You also have one P.E class per week on Thursdays at 4 PM. Other optional classes are available and I ask that you refer to your e-handbook for the details. Obviously, you weren't selected to be a part of this school to slack off, meaning that the time you don't spend in classes has to be spent working on your talents. You are free to make your own schedule although I can only advise you work enough considering the exam you'll face at the end of the year won't be easy."
I don't have any objection to the way this works, but… how am I supposed to work on my talent?! I am the 'Ultimate Lucky Student'! I can't work on luck!
"And this is for this reason that I offer you my sincerest words of good luck for the upcoming year, even if one of you has already experienced such luck," he said and Makoto felt himself very concerned by that comment. "Anything to add, Mr. Kizakura?"
"I don't think so," the scout replied. "I think you covered pretty much everything."
He brought his hand to his chin in thought, and a few seconds later, "Ah, yeah, there is a little something I'd like to say! I'd like one student - who I think will recognize themselves - to know that they were selected for their talent and not for any other personal reason, so no worries on that front."
The entire class gave the man a surprised glance. Well, the entire class save for one student. Makoto couldn't help but notice that the lavender-haired girl on the left side of the gym tensed up. It didn't take more for the lucky student to piece out that she was the one the school's scout was talking about.
Hm, what a weird girl… He thought and eyed the purple-wearing girl as discretely as he could. I wonder what he could have meant by 'personal reason'… Well, I guess I'll simply ask when I introduce myself to her.
What Makoto didn't notice what the dark glare the Principal shot his carefree colleague as he finished speaking. In fact, the boy's train of thought was only stopped by the Principal himself when he spoke up again.
"With that said, on behalf of the entirety of Hope's Peak Academy, I wish you a good and successful year on this campus. The door's always open if any of you is struggling with anything. Until then, your classes begin tomorrow and you have the rest of the day to yourselves. Good day to you, Class 78th, I expect a lot from you."
And with that, the two men departed from the backdoor they had used earlier to enter, leaving the sixteen students alone in the gymnasium.
Makoto thought about everything he had learned about his future school life, from the dorms, to the facultative classes, to the end-of-the-year exam… and that weird part at the end…
I really wonder what all that was about… Makoto thought, recalling the scout's words. But I guess I shouldn't focus too much on that, better go and intro-
"Hey, Makoto!"
The Ultimate Lucky Student jumped in place in surprise and directed his eyes right in front of him. There, was standing a blue-haired girl, smiling widely at him.
"S-Sayaka?!" he immediately exclaimed as he recognized exactly who was facing him. "Y-You… You remember me?!" Makoto wondered, obviously surprised.
"Of course I remember you! We went to the same middle school!"
"W-Well, yeah, we did…" he hesitantly said. "But we weren't even in the same class, and well… you're a star and all…"
"But I still remember you! That one time when you nursed that injured crane really touched me, you know!" the girl added, and quite intensively at that, surprising Makoto.
She remembers even that?! He realized and his eyes widened in surprise. I-I had forgotten that myself until she brought it up!
"R-Really…? W-Well, I'm glad to see you again! My sister is your biggest fan!" the lucky student told the young star. "She says she is a 'Sayaker' and buys all of your CDs!"
Makoto smiled at the thought of his sister Komaru and her countless magazines and CDs of Sayaka's band in her room. To say she was dedicated would be an understatement, considering she spent a good part of her pocket money buying products related to the young pop idol.
"Oh, really?! I'm glad to learn that!" she said, still as intense. The smile she sent Makoto showed some genuine happiness and brought Makoto back to his middle school days, when Sayaka would lead the school concerts and make all the boys blush. "But enough about me! How have you been since middle school, Makoto?"
"W-Well… G-Good, I guess…?" Makoto replied lowly, as if not too sure of his answer. "Nothing amazing, really. I just went to high school and well… lived my life?"
"I see." Sayaka nodded. "But what's your talent, Makoto? I personally am the Ultimate Pop Sensation, but please don't call me that, it makes me feel more important than I really am!"
Makoto's expression grew a little dim as the blue-haired girl asked that question. She had no way to know that he had no 'talent' to speak of and felt a little ashamed admitting to it. But he knew she didn't mean any harm by her question, either.
"Y-You won't laugh, will you?" he asked weakly, barely meeting her blue eyes.
"Of course not! Why would I laugh?"
"Well, I don't actually have a talent…" Makoto admitted, and felt a wave of relief when he realized Sayaka didn't show any pity or mocking. "I have been selected to attend Hope's Peak as the year's Ultimate Lucky Student."
"Ah, I see! Well, I'm lucky too, then!" the pop star said, surprising her fellow student.
"How come?" the lucky student asked, not exactly sure of what she meant.
"If you weren't there, I'd be all alone! So I'm glad you were selected!" Sayaka explained. And that warmed Makoto's heart big time.
He understood that he would not be going into his new school life completely blind nor alone. It was an amazing coincidence, really, but another showcase of the Ultimate Luck Makoto had been chosen for. And what felt even better was knowing that there was someone out there who didn't care for his lack of talent and was ready to head into their studies with him as a friend.
Makoto had not made many friends in high school. He wasn't antisocial either, just average. He knew there weren't any people from Dusk High School he would be hanging out with anymore, but had since long accepted that. It had been the same after middle school and he knew he would need to make new friends here.
"T-Thank you…" he said and felt himself blushing a little. "I'm glad there is someone I know here, too. And I'm glad it's you."
"Oh, Makoto, you're too kind! But you're blushing, you know?"
"A-Ah!" Makoto let out a sound of embarrassment as he tried to cover his face with his hands, to no avail, however. "S-Sorry about that…"
"No, don't be! It's an honor to see someone blush in front of me!" the young star told him adorably.
"W-Wait… Sayaka, you know literally half the boys our age have a crush on you… right?" he asked, truly surprised at this sudden development. What he didn't realize was that his wording made it feel like he included himself among those boys. And while he had a lot of respect for Sayaka since she had been able to begin and manage her career at a really young age, he knew he didn't have a crush on her… right? However, his brain decided otherwise and he found himself staring. And she really is cute, too…
"Why, thank you, Makoto!" she said. "You're quite cute too!"
At this point, Makoto was not confused, but utterly lost. He had asked a question and had gotten a reply to a thought he had kept to himself, which didn't make sense!
Wait a minute… I-I didn't say t-that out loud… did I? The talentless Ultimate wondered as the famous band leader gently smiled at him.
"No, you didn't, Makoto."
"W-What…?" he muttered; his confusion evident in his voice. "H-How did y-you…?"
"Oh, didn't you know? I'm psychic!"
Makoto remained silent for a second, trying to register exactly what she had said. A single second, though.
"What the…? Y-You're what…?!"
"Kidding!" she said and her smile grew even wider. "I just have very good intuition!"
Both Makoto and Sayaka were extremely surprised when they understood that the mountain of muscles standing near the podium was not a boy but a girl. Next to her was a rather small girl, her hair tied into a small ponytail but who didn't seem to lack athleticism either.
"Hello, girls!" Sayaka said as they approached the two girls who were chatting together. They turned around as they heard the pop idol.
"Hey, hello there!" the most petite of the two replied cheerily, giving Makoto and the blue-haired girl a wide smile.
"Good morning," the white-haired muscle mountain added, not as enthusiastic as her partner but certainly less intimidating than she looked.
"G-Good morning to you two," Makoto said at last. "I am Makoto Naegi, the Ultimate Lucky Student. Glad to meet you."
It took a lot for Makoto to overcome his shyness and introduce himself like that, but Sayaka's presence definitely helped him build up confidence.
"And I am Sayaka Maizono, the Ultimate Pop Sensation. Glad to meet you too!" Makoto's former and current fellow student concurred sympathetically. She seemed way more comfortable than him, though.
"Okay! My name's Aoi Asahina, but you can call me Hina! I am the Ultimate Swimming Pro! Happy to make your acquittance! Although... I'm sure I've already seen you on TV, Sayaka!" the visibly extremely enthusiastic girl commented.
"I think so too," the other girl agreed with a nod. "Your shows are extremely popular. My name is Sakura Ogami, by the way. I am the Ultimate Martial Artist. Glad to meet you too."
Hm, that was actually pretty obvious. Makoto thought as he examined the girl's ridiculously muscled body. He tried to be discreet doing it though, since even if the girl didn't seem as intimidating when you talked to her as he first thought, he was pretty certain she could break his face into a thousand pieces!
"So you two are athletes?" Makoto asked, trying to stay in the conversation.
"Yeah, I love all sports but the one I'd dedicate my life to is swimming!" Hina replied first, still as cheery as ever. "And Sakura is the best martial artist I've ever seen! She told me all about her feats and how her family owns a traditional dojo; it's very impressive!"
"You praise me too much, Hina, dear," Sakura stated modestly but not without a genuine smile on her face. "But I am glad to see that so many of my classmates seem to be extremely good people. I am certain we will be having a good time."
"Agreed!" Sayaka chipped in, nodding furiously. "I already have so many ideas of events we could do together! Right, Makoto?"
"Y-Yeah… I'm sure you have some great ideas, Sayaka," the lucky student said, surprised at first by being called out like that. Still, it was nice for him to know the pop idol wanted to keep him in the flow of the discussion. "And I agree with Sakura: I'm sure our class is going to be great!"
"That's the spirit!" Hina told him and smiled at him. "Although… I had the chance to introduce myself to some of our classmates and not everyone seems as… nice, as the three of you are…"
"Really? Well, that's too bad," the blue-haired girl said. "But I suppose we won't be able to get along as much with everyone. As long as we can be a unified class, that's already great!"
"Yeah, I agree. Some of us might be a little nervous too!" Makoto threw his two cents and suggested. "I know I was… and still am, somewhat."
"That is also a possibility, indeed. I believe we should not judge anyone too soon, considering we haven't got to know everyone yet," Sakura reasoned and earned a nod from the three others.
"I agree with Sakura," the Ultimate Swimming Pro said, doubling on her nod. "Anyway, I look forward to spending the year with you!"
"The same goes for me," the Ultimate Martial Artist concurred genuinely. "We should be having a good year together."
Hina and Sakura… They already seem to be close, like they knew each other before coming here! Makoto thought as he noticed that the two sportive girls seemed to already be best friends! And they are both nice people, from what I can tell! Sakura is intimidating when you first see her, but she apparently doesn't want to break my skull just yet!
"Well, I think I'll go see if I can find some donuts somewhere because I'm starving! Bye!" Hina said before walking away from Makoto and Sayaka.
"I will also have to go. I would like to see if I can find a place to exercise properly on campus. See you later," the martial artist added and got going out of the gym.
The Ultimate Lucky Student and Pop Sensation watched them go with a smile on their faces.
"Well, Makoto, it seems like we've found ourselves some great classmates!"
"And what might you two commoners want, hm?" an arrogant-looking boy asked Sayaka and Makoto as they approached him in the corner of the room.
Everything, from his tone of voice, to his clothing, and the way he stood - proudly and confidently - made Makoto understand the two reunited friends were facing someone important. They didn't know who, but they seemed important.
"U-Uh, my name is Makoto Naegi. Glad to meet you," the boy told his classmate. "I am the Ultimate Lucky Student."
"Name's Byakuya Togami. Ultimate Affluent Progeny."
The pop idol and lucky student waited for a few seconds for him to continue talking. Except… he didn't.
"I-Is that all…?" Makoto asked but only received a suspicious glance from his newly-introduced classmate.
"What else did you want to know? I told you my name and my talent, which you apparently seem to be lacking considering your title," the affluent progeny told him, extremely coldly. "I don't think it would be very fair to go any further when I don't even know who she is."
He directed his eyes towards the blue-haired girl who backed down by a step as she took in his dominant gaze. Whoever he was, Byakuya Togami didn't lack confidence, that Makoto immediately understood. And he quickly understood what Hina had meant earlier.
"Although… I had the chance to introduce myself to some of our classmates and not everyone seems as… nice, as the three of you are…"
This concept of not being nice seemed to apply to the rich-looking boy extremely well. And considering he had insulted Makoto's lack of talent two seconds after meeting him, the Ultimate Lucky Student couldn't help but feel Byakuya wouldn't be the easiest person to hang out with.
Still, he wouldn't shoot anything back for the insult, since… well, he had nothing to contradict him with. However, this couldn't be said for everyone.
"H-Hey! What's your deal?!" Sayaka asked, regaining a solid stance. "Don't insult Makoto! You don't even know him!"
"And I don't need to. Plebeians only serve to get in the way," he shot back, visibly without a care in the world. "Now, may I get your name so that we can get this over with?"
"W-What the…?! 'Plebeians?!' And who are you, to insult people like that?!" the pop idol exclaimed angrily. It surprised Makoto, to see the usually cool and collected Sayaka Maizono infuriated like that. And while it was out of character for her, the fact she came to his defense is something he was thankful for.
"It seems a commoner here is lacking knowledge of this world…" Byakuya sighed. "I am the heir to the Togami family, destined to rule the world. Does that satisfy you?"
'Rule the world?!' The affluent progeny's words echoed in Makoto's mind as he stared at him in disbelief. That's what his talent is about…? Wow…
"Like hell is does!" Sayaka cursed, earning a surprised reaction from both Makoto and the Togami heir. "Look at you, acting almighty when your talent is simply being born in the right family! Quite ironic if you ask me!"
She shot him a triumphant smirk but when Byakuya didn't back down one bit, both the blue-haired idol and the lucky student knew they were in for a comeback.
"Is that how it's going to be, then?" the taller boy said, a smirk of his own gracing his lips, although his was more arrogant than threatening. "I seem to faintly recall you. Sayaka Maizono, correct?"
"H-Huh? Y-Yeah, that's my name… But what does it have to do with anything?!"
"I seem to recall you leading a music band," Byakuya went on, his arrogant tone making Sayaka flinch. "If I were you, I'd watch my words around someone who can end your career whenever they want. Take that as a friendly advice."
Before either Makoto or Sayaka could respond anything, the Togami heir walked away, visibly bored of this conversation.
"I don't have time to waste on commoners like you, mind you," he said as he walked away. "Although I'll admit I am quite interested as to the luck you possess, Makoto Naegi."
They let him walk out of the gymnasium, to places unknown and noticed that even the way he walked was arrogant. Then, the two friends sent a puzzled look to each other, clearly asking themselves the same question, namely: What in the world was that?!
"Prick," Sayaka simply said as she saw the doors close behind the affluent progeny. It made Makoto smile a little.
"That was rather unexpected…" the lucky student sighed. "Doesn't seem like every one of us is as nice as Hina and Sakura, huh?"
"Apparently not… Grr, he got me mad!" the pop idol said, still fuming a little. "Sorry you had to see that, Makoto. I don't get mad often, but I despise people who insult my friends!"
Makoto found himself all embarrassed at the implied suggestion. Just being called a friend by someone so early in the year was enough for Makoto, but being defended so fiercely completely warmed his heart.
"T-Thank you for defending me, Sayaka," he told her, smiling at her. "That was nice of you."
"You're welcome. But you're blushing again, you know?" she told him with a grin.
A-Again…? Come on, Makoto, hold yourself together! The lucky student thought to himself, indeed feeling his cheeks getting warmer and warmer. Sayaka's cute but I shouldn't be blushing!
"Thanks again, Makoto!"
"H-Huh…? Thanks for what?"
"For calling me cute, silly!"
"W-What…? B-But I…"
"Didn't I tell you already? I'm psychic!"
He stared at her in disbelief. Byakuya's harsh words had been surprising, but nothing close to Sayaka's apparent mind-reading abilities.
"Kidding! I just have amazing intuition."
"W-W-W-Who… a-a-are y-y-you…? S-S-Stop staring a-a-a-at m-me…!"
Makoto and Sayaka looked at each other and soon realized the purple-haired girl in front of them would be another handful to have as a classmate, considering she was shaking like crazy and her stuttering showed a record-breaking nervousness. And this made her appear as quite aggressive, they noticed.
"Hi, my name is Sayaka Maizono. I am the Ultimate Pop Sensation, pleased to meet you!" the pop idol finally said after a few seconds of seeing the frail girl shake. It didn't seem to make it any better, though.
"And I am Makoto Naegi, the Ultimate Lucky Student. Glad to meet you too."
It was a little selfish, but Makoto felt better knowing he was not the most nervous of the bunch right now. He had been a little stressed, knowing he was going to meet such talented people, but certainly not to such extremes!
"I-I-I'm T-Toko F-F-Fukawa… T-The U-U-Ultimate Writing P-Prodigy." she finally said and Sayaka couldn't help but sigh in relief as they had finally learned of the girl's name. "W-Why a-a-are you s-s-sighing?! I-Is it b-because y-y-you t-think I'm u-ugly?!"
"Wait, no!" the pop idol immediately shot back in surprise. Makoto smiled at her, his expression telling her 'she's all yours' without wording it. "I was just wondering why you were so nervous? And you're definitely not ugly!"
"R-R-Really…? Y-You l-lie! I-I know y-you're l-lying!" the writer continued to stutter, turning more aggressive, however. Makoto flinched but Sayaka didn't, her supportive smile not faltering one bit.
"No, really! You aren't ugly at all! And you have an amazing talent, too!" the pop idol reassured their fellow student. "I'd love to be good at writing!"
For a second, Makoto thought his friend had managed to unnerve Toko when her features relaxed a tad, but he was proven wrong when the purple-haired girl began to shake once more.
"Y-Y-You're m-m-mocking me, I-I'm sure! A-And b-besides… I-I'm not t-t-that good a-at writing!"
"Oh, stop underestimating yourself!" Sayaka continued to argue fiercely to try to get the Ultimate Writing Prodigy to warm up to them. "Hope's Peak only chooses the crème de la crème, so it must mean you have amazing abilities!"
Sayaka is serious about getting Toko to open up, isn't she? Makoto wondered as he observed his blue-haired friend trying her best to get even a sign of self-confidence out of the other girl. Not that it had worked yet, but she visibly remained hopeful.
"H-Hmph… A-And w-w-what d-do you k-know about w-writing a-a-anyway…?" Toko said, breaking the pop idol's hopes of befriending her. Instead, it seemed like her insistence was getting on the writer's nerves rather quickly.
"Probably not much, you're right…" Sayaka admitted, the hope in her voice finally fading down as she must have realized she wasn't getting anywhere. "Sorry for bothering you. We'll leave you alone…"
The writer didn't add anything and merely continued to shake, as the famous band leader turned to Makoto, who had remained silent ever since introducing himself. He shrugged and gave Sayaka a reassuring smile.
As they turned away, he finally spoke again. "Toko seems to be a difficult customer. She doesn't seem like a bad person or anything, but social contact doesn't appear to be her thing."
"Yeah, you're right," she concurred. "I tried my best, I really did! But nothing got through to her."
"Well, I have hope she'll get used to the school environment and warm up to us," Makoto said, his tone mirroring the hopefulness of his words.
However, before the blue and long-haired girl could react, a familiar voice echoed in Makoto's ears.
"Did I just hear the words 'school environment?'"
Sayaka and Makoto turned around and faced a little group that had formed itself in the middle of the room. A group of four people, actually, three boys and one girl. There was the red-haired boy Makoto had recognized earlier, another with an outrageous pompadour for a hairstyle. The girl was petite in stature and seemed fragile, although the fact that she was smiling made her appear more confident. Lastly, there was a black-haired boy in a white uniform… the very same who had shouted at Makoto for his (slight) tardiness earlier.
However, his serious look had turned into a more friendly one.
"Hello to the two of you! My name is Kiyotaka Ishimaru! Feel free to call me Taka if it makes it easier to remember! I am the Ultimate Moral Compass, here to make sure this fine class can stand as one in the strict respect of school regulations! Glad to meet you!"
Okay, so if shouting is prohibited, you've just contradicted yourself twenty times, but fine. Makoto thought as Taka introduced loudly, his voice a little irritating to both his and Sayaka's ears.
"Good morning. My name is Sayaka Maizono. I am the Ultimate Pop Sensation. Glad to meet you as well," the pop idol said, although the cheeriness she had shown to Hina, Sakura and Toko had dissipated.
It seems all this shouting didn't earn you anything in the end… The lucky student couldn't help but realize. Well, at least you got an introduction, unlike Byakuya, but still…
"And I am Makoto Naegi, the Ultimate Lucky Student," Makoto added while the three others chatted a few steps away. "Pleased to meet you, Taka."
"Pleased to meet you too, Makoto," he replied with a small smile. "However, please try to arrive on time for our next appointment!"
"Y-Yeah… S-Sorry about that…" the Ultimate Lucky Student muttered as an apology before Sayaka spoke again.
"So, Taka, are those three your friends?" she asked, gesturing at the two boys and the girl.
"Ah, well… they are the first people I introduced myself to, actually," the moral compass explained before turning around to the three others. "Fellow students, there are two more of our classmates who want to introduce themselves."
"U-Uh? Oh, hey there, guys!" the red-haired boy greeted as he noticed Sayaka and Makoto next to Taka. "I'm Leon Kuwata, the Ultimate Baseball Star, nice to meet you!"
"Likewise," Makoto said and before he could introduce himself to the baseball player, someone did for him.
"These two fine people are Makoto Naegi and Sayaka Maizono, respectively the Ultimate Lucky Student and Ultimate Pop Sensation," Taka explained. "And while Leon introduced himself, I feel inclined to introduce our two classmates here."
Everyone directed their attention to the guy with the pompadour - an unpleasant look on his face - and the frail girl next to him - looking completely harmless and nice.
"On your left is Chihiro Fujisaki, the Ultimate Programmer!" the Ultimate Moral Compass said, gesturing to the girl. "And on your right is Mondo Owada, the Ultimate Biker Gang Leader!"
"Hello!" the little programmer said with a soft smile.
"Mornin'," said the biker.
It didn't take more than that to see who was the more sympathetic of the two, if it weren't already clear before.
Looks like Mondo is not one for small talk… Makoto realized, noticing his look was mirrored by Sayaka, meaning they must have thought the same thing. However, it seemed a bad idea to let that show, considering the biker looked the aggressive type.
"Good morning. I'm glad to meet you two!" Sayaka finally said to the gang leader and the programmer.
"Hm, Sayaka?" a voice called out to the pop idol. It took a second for her to notice it was coming from the baseball player.
"Yes, Leon? What is it?" she gently asked and Makoto thought for a second they were staring at each other.
"You are the famous pop idol everyone sees on TV, right?"
"Well, you certainly overrate my popularity, but I guess that would be me."
"Really?! Wow, we got a real star in our class!" the red-haired boy exclaimed, visibly happy with this development.
"Indeed!" Taka concurred. "I have also heard of your shows! You are indeed quite famous, Sayaka!"
"Haha, stop, you'll make me blush!" the blue-haired idol joked, and indeed, blushed slightly. "Although I am not the only one famous here! Leon, your performances were also quite spread around!"
"Yeah, Sayaka's right!" Makoto agreed before adding. "I've also heard of you. They say you are the best potential in the field of baseball since the beginning of the century!"
"Nah, man, you praise me too much!" Leon said, although faint signs of embarrassment marked his face. "Mondo and Chihiro are the ones to praise here! Mondo leads the largest biker gang in all of Japan, and Chihiro seems to be amazing at her stuff! She explained it all, but to be honest, I didn't quite understand everything…"
"Haha, it is fine, Leon." The small girl chuckled. "Programming is a little out of touch with most activities. To make it simple, I specialize in programming self-learning AI systems to help people."
"Really? That's awesome Chihiro!" Sayaka commented, truly baffled by her fellow girl classmate explanation of her talent. "You need to show me this one day!"
"Okay, if you want!" the Ultimate Programmer told her.
Seeing her smile like this, Makoto had trouble not smiling himself. And it seemed this was the case for everyone since even Mondo - who seemed cold and unfriendly - was smiling widely. Those four were a great way to put behind the tough experience that had been meeting Byakuya. Slowly but surely, the lucky student found in himself the will to believe (almost) all his classmates would be great people.
"Well, guys, I'll go and check out my room, okay?" Leon said. "If anyone wants to hang out, my door's open!"
"Okay, see you later, Leon!" the blue-haired girl told the baseball star, making him blush furiously.
"I think I will go and do the same," Chihiro added. "I need to see if they received the stuff I sent for my dorm room. Goodbye, everybody!"
With this, the programmer and ball player walked away and out of the gym, leaving Makoto and Sayaka with only Taka and Mondo.
"It seems a chick here has found a dude, didn't you?" Mondo said, cracking a true smile at someone other than Chihiro for the first time since he was introduced.
"M-Me…?" Sayaka shyly wondered.
"Yeah, of course you! Leon totally has his eyes set on you!" the biker added. "Sorry, dude, I don't think that's a battle you can win!" he said, laughing at Makoto.
"H-Huh…? W-What did I even say?" Makoto stuttered, looking puzzlingly at the three remaining students with him.
"What Mondo means to suggest, Makoto, is that you are developing romantic feelings for Sayaka, more often called a 'crush.'" Taka explained, making Makoto's jaw drop in place. "Feel free to refute those allegations if you feel like it. I certainly won't stand for defamation in this class!"
"W-What are y-you even saying?!" the lucky student asked, his cheeks getting warmer and warmer by the second. "Sayaka is a long-time acquittance and friend!"
"Yeah, yeah, a 'friend'…" the gang leader echoed mockingly. "You're into that chick, aren't you, Mako-"
"I'm still here, you know?!" the pop idol cut in. "It's rude to speak of someone's feelings for a girl who's standing right there! Haven't you learned any manners in school?!"
"S-Sorry…" Mondo apologized, visibly genuinely.
"I am deeply sorry for not taking my fellow classmate's feelings into consideration!" Taka abruptly told the blue-haired girl. "Feel free to exert any punishment you might find fitting of such an ungentlemanly behavior!"
"W-What the…?! 'Punishment?!' What do you even mean by that?!"
"I'm out of here…" Makoto said and with one last sigh, walked away.
"Hello there, good morning." Makoto said as he approached another one of his classmates.
"Good morning."
"My name is Makoto Naegi, I am the Ultimate Lucky Student." the boy said smilingly. "Nice to meet you!"
"Likewise. My name is Kyoko Kirigiri. I am the Ultimate Detective."
The lucky student tried to get past the girl's rather cold tone to focus on her facial featured but was met with nothing less than a stoic face. If the girl was feeling anything, it surely didn't show.
"The Ultimate Detective, huh? That's an inters- wait, what did you say?!" Makoto blurted out all of a sudden, a light bulb appearing over his head. "Kirigiri?! Like…"
"Yes, like Jin Kirigiri," the lavender-haired girl confirmed before Makoto could even say anything, as stoically as ever. "I am the Principal's daughter."
"R-Really? That's nice for you!" Makoto said with a smile the girl didn't return.
I guess this explains Mr. Kizakura's words if this girl is the Principal's daughter. The Ultimate Lucky Student thought. Well, good for her, she should be more confi-
"I'd rather not judge people based on first impressions if I were you."
"Hm, what…?"
"I mean to say that you don't know anything other than my name and my talent," the girl began to explain. "I doubt you are in any capacity to make a conclusion as to the relationship I hold with this school, although I suppose this was to be expected."
"What do you mean?" Makoto couldn't help but be curious as to the meaning of the detective's words.
"I had hoped you would take the hint, but you visibly didn't," she said then sighed. "If I said that is it none of your business, would you understand better?"
Hina's words echoed all over again inside Makoto's mind. "Although… I had the chance to introduce myself to some of our classmates and not everyone seems as… nice, as the three of you are…"
Kyoko doesn't seem the extremely friendly type either… The lucky student thought as a moment of silence installed himself between the two classmates. But I guess it's my bad for asking a personal question.
"S-Sorry for intruding your personal life, Kyoko," Makoto said and bowed in apology. "This was not my intention."
The lavender-haired girl sighed again and her next words were what allowed Makoto to - in good conscience - put her in a separate category as Byakuya.
"It's fine. You couldn't have known it was a touchy subject," she stated, visibly accepting the boy's apologies.
And this time, he took the hint. Note to self: don't ask about her family.
With his mental note in place, the Ultimate Lucky Student looked for a way to resume the conversation. However, before he could find anything to say, he heard the clicking of heeled boots against the gym's floor.
"I will have to go. If there is anything you wish to tell me, you are free to ring at my dorm room; although it is highly unlikely I'll actually be there considering I have much to do," Kyoko said as she walked away from Makoto. "Goodbye."
The Ultimate Detective left the gym, leaving a confused Makoto behind her.
She seems to be a real mystery… He thought to himself. She doesn't seem extremely friendly, but not unfriendly either…
"Hey Makoto, I'm back!"
Makoto's train of thought was stopped by the sudden calling out, and after turning to his left, he noticed Sayaka standing there.
"Ah, Sayaka. I see Mondo and Taka left you alone?" he said, his pensive face giving way to a smile.
"Yeah, they finally did. Mondo harassed me about Leon some more but they let me go since they wanted to check their room," the pop idol explained. "Anyway, was this cute girl your girlfriend, Makoto?"
Her teasing smile made Makoto giggle a little. "No, she's not. Just one of our classmates, like any other."
"I see. Who's she?"
"Kyoko Kirigiri, the Ultimate Detective."
"Heeeeeey! Don't ignore meeeeee!"
Makoto and Sayaka turned around and noticed a boy, visibly much older than they were, panting and gasping for breath.
"O-Oh, sorry… We didn't see you there," Makoto replied first. "I am Makoto Naegi, the Ultimate Lucky Student. Nice to meet you."
"And I am Sayaka Maizono, the Ultimate Pop Sensation!" Sayaka immediately followed. "Nice to meet you too!"
"M-Me too… I… am… Yasuhiro… Hagakure…" he muttered in-between breaths. "But… please call me… Hiro… I am… the Ultimate… Clairvoyant…"
"Okay, Hiro!" the pop idol said cheerily. "Just uh… Excuse me if I'm being rude, but… you seem older than the rest of us."
"Oh, well…" He scratched his dreadlocks in embarrassment. "I might have been held back a few times, y'know…"
A good few times, apparently… The lucky student thought. At first glance, Hiro was probably around twenty, which meant he shouldn't be entering Hope's Peak, but should have already graduated one or two years ago! But I don't think I am in much of a position to criticize an Ultimate. If he was accepted here for his scholar results, it must mean he as an amazing abilities!
"Really? Well, that's too bad!" Sayaka stated with a little frown. "But you have an amazing talent! You can make predictions?"
"Sure! Do you want to know anything?" the fortune-teller asked, producing a crystal ball.
"Hey, why not? Hm, let's see…" She brought her hand to her chin in thought. "Ah, yeah! Am I gonna find the love of my life during the year?"
"Excellent question!" Hiro said and began looking through his crystal ball. The pop idol was too focused on him to notice Makoto fiddling with his fingers a step away from her. After about twenty seconds of looking, he finally reached a verdict.
"Seems like it!" he announced. It didn't seem like anything particular had happened with the ball, but hey; who were they to challenge the Ultimate Clairvoyant's words about fortune-telling?
This made Sayaka extremely happy, from what the Ultimate Lucky Student could tell.
"R-Really?! Yeaaaah!" she exclaimed. "Is it for sure, Hiro?!"
"Well, I'm always 30% right!"
"…" She fell silent immediately.
"…" Makoto remained quiet.
"…" Not even Hiro said a thing.
Okay, never mind: why is he even here?!
"And that's how Princess Piggles was saved!"
"Hm, I see. That sounds extremely interesting, Hifumi."
After their introduction to Hiro - which turned out to be a waste of time, really - Makoto and Sayaka decided to meet two of their remaining classmates, chatting close to the podium. There was a boy whose main physical trait was his rather large build and a pale-skinned girl, dressed all in black and whose red eyes made her appear as a gothic lolita.
"Hello there!" Sayaka greeted them, getting their attention. "I'm Sayaka Maizono, the Ultimate Pop Sensation. Nice to meet you!"
"Well, good morning to you, Sayaka," the other girl replied with a sweet smile. "I am Celestia Ludenberg, the Ultimate Gambler. Feel free to call me Celeste, as this the name I am the most comfortable with."
"Okay, Celeste!" the pop idol said, matching her smile. "And this is Makoto Naegi, the Ultimate Lucky Student!"
Makoto felt like a kid at needing to be introduced by her friend but didn't protest.
"Nice to meet you two," he simply added with a little bow towards the two.
"And I am Hifumi Yamada, the Ultimate Fanfic Creator. Pleased to meet you, Miss Maizono, MIster. Naegi," the overweight boy finished the introductions with.
Mister Naegi, huh…? Makoto echoed his classmate's words and giggled to himself. It makes me feel like a true man and not a teen!
"Hifumi was in the middle of explaining to me the finest details of his passion, you see?" the gambler explained to the two people who had just arrived. "This is very interesting."
For some reason, Makoto felt like the gothic girl was being insincere right now. When both him and Sayaka came to introduce themselves to them, they had overheard the last bit of their conversation, and while Celeste said she found what he was saying interesting, it didn't sound genuine.
It would make sense for her to be able to hide her true emotions, given she's the Ultimate Gambler. Makoto realized. I just hope her visibly nice persona is genuine and not just a façade…
"Really? Do you think you could tell us more about it, Hifumi?" the blue-haired girl asked the mangaka, eager to learn more.
It was becoming a trend with Sayaka, and Makoto appreciated that: she seemed interested in their classmates' talents and didn't judge them. Even Makoto himself, the only one in the class without a talent, felt like he was their equal thanks to her. It did wonders for his self-confidence.
"Very well! Then I shall treat you to the latest of Princess Piggles' adventures!"
And with that, the fanfiction creator began detailing the story of a fictional character neither Makoto nor his two other classmates seemed to know, more out of respect for the passion Hifumi was showing.
It lasted for a few minutes until he finally concluded, making the three release a discrete but well-needed sigh of relief.
"So, what did you think?" Hifumi asked, very pleased his classmates had listened so closely.
"Hm… It was great, Hifumi!" Sayaka replied, the discomfort in her voice evident to Makoto. She had visibly 'liked' the explanation as much as the Ultimate Lucky Student had, which meant, not much.
"Y-Yeah, what Sayaka said…!" he added, trying his best to sound honest, although he knew he was no credible liar.
"It was explained very well, Hifumi. Extremely interesting too, once again," Celeste praised and if it weren't for the quick glance she sent to the pop idol and the lucky student, they would have thought she was being honest.
It was the second time in only a few moments the gambler had successfully lied to her seemingly naïve classmate without any difficulty.
I suppose that comes with her being an elite gambler, she's able to bluff extremely well. Makoto thought, which made sense, considering the situation. And I'm kinda glad for that right now…
"Thank you Ms. Ludenberg!" the otaku said with overflowing happiness at the praise. "I shall make sure to find another interesting story to tell you at a later time, if you want!"
"Hm… yes, yes, sure…" the lolita replied, her little sigh not going unnoted by Makoto. "For now, I am sorry, but I will be heading for my room. Pleased to have met you, dear classmates."
"Okay, see ya Celeste!" Sayaka said as the gambler went off, with the hazel-eyed boy and the fanfic writer nodding.
"And I think I'll need to get going, too," the pop idol added. "I wanna see if there is anything I could use to make a little concert. You know, to celebrate the beginning of the year?"
"Ah, okay, sure." Makoto smiled at the idea. "That'd be great!"
"Thanks Makoto! Well, later!" the blue-haired young star said before graciously heading off as well.
Once she was out of earshot, Hifumi spoke up again.
"It is unfortunate Ms. Maizono and Ms. Ludenberg are 3D… They would have been great material for my future works… A shame, really…" Hifumi said and the lucky student noticed him almost drooling.
It took a few seconds for Makoto to take in what the fanfic creator had said… and slowly get away…
"Y-Yeah… A-A shame…"
"Good morning!" Makoto said cheerily as he approached the last pair of people he had not met yet.
"Hm? Why, hello there pretty boy!" one of the two girls, a long-haired blonde greeted back. "I'm like, Junko Enoshima, the Ultimate Fashionista, and this ugly and idiot girl next to me is my sister, Mukuro Ikusaba. She has a talent, but honestly, it's kinda lame, so let's just skip that part, okay? I suppose you have no objection, Muku?"
"N-No… None whatsoever, J-Junko…" the other girl said.
Wow, that's an interesting sister-to-sister relationship right there… Makoto thought as he heard the Fashionista insult her sister like it was nothing. And me who thought Komaru and I didn't get along!
"So, what's your name?" Junko asked Makoto, a smile printed on her face. It was a face the boy seemed to recall, too.
"I'm Makoto Naegi! The Ultimate Lucky Student!" he replied cheerily, any sign of his previous lack of confidence completely gone by now. "Pleased to meet you two!"
"Charmed to meet you too, luck boy!" the blonde continued, and leaving no time for her sister to talk, she added. "That's a heck of a talent you got there! To be lucky like that… good for you!"
"W-Well…" The lucky student was embarrassed now. Junko had been the first student to consider his 'luck' as a full-fledged talent, when it wasn't really. "I-I just got lucky on the selection process, you know… Otherwise, I'm not that lucky…"
"Really? Well, that's a shame!" She shrugged. "No need to despair over it, y'know? It'd be a shame not to take advantage of being a student of the prestigious Hope's Peak Academy now, would it?"
"Y-Yeah, I suppose you're right…" Makoto said after the fashionista argued for him. "Thanks for the hopeful words, Junko!"
For some reason, the two sisters flinched a little at those words, which made Makoto wonder if he had said anything wrong… However, they - well, Junko especially - bounced back rather quickly.
"No problem, luck boy! I sure hope we can get along, the two of us!" Junko told him, her wide smile still in place. "I'm sorry, though, I'll have to get going… I need to set up my room. A truly despairing situation, if you ask me, but it has to be done. I'll leave you with the pig there, alright? See ya'!"
Before the boy could say anything, the blonde girl was already gone far away, leaving him with her short-haired sister… and some questions.
"W-Well… It d-doesn't seem like the two of you get along extremely well…" he pointed out, trying not to sound rude nor intruding considering how it went with Kyoko earlier.
"No actually, that's just my sister's way to express love," the girl disagreed. "She's been like that for as long as I can remember. I don't even take offense anymore, y'know?"
Makoto nodded unconvincingly. Such a relationship seemed a little hard to hold for multiple years, especially when one-sided.
"I see… Well, your sister never mentioned your talent and I'll admit that I'm quite curious," the lucky student said, changing the subject for something more comfortable… or so he thought.
"I am the Ultimate Soldier." She sighed. "Not the most praiseworthy talent there is, I know."
The 'Ultimate Soldier'…? Kinda sounds like something out of a futuristic movie… Makoto thought as he learned the last talent his class was composed of. But not really something I can condone either…
"I-I see." He nodded, his uneasiness clearly showing.
"Hmph." She shrugged. "I should have expected this kind of reaction. I won't hurt you, though."
For some reason, someone called the 'Ultimate Soldier' saying she wouldn't hurt you sent more shivers down Makoto's spine than he thought possible. Outside the fact the blue-eyed girl seemed as cold as you could get, she was not doing anything to sound more reassuring!
"Y-Yeah… thanks for that… I guess…" he muttered, fiddling with his fingers. "W-Well, I'll have to go as well if you don't mind… I need to go and check my room… See ya'."
The way the Ultimate Lucky Student left the gym was almost cartoonish, considering he took his first few steps slowly then sped up abruptly, as if he wanted to make sure to be as far from the soldier as possible while remaining polite.
Once he made it to the door, he allowed himself to release the breath he'd been holding for a little while.
Phew, looks like I avoided my rendezvous with death on the first day… nice…! He thought ironically as he figured that someone with such a talent could probably kill him in more than 11037 ways. How come they accepted someone with a talent potentially so dangerous?!
The question was an excellent one, and one he had no answer to. It seemed unlikely the administration had not realized the potential threat such a student could be for their classmates and the peacefulness of the entire school.
But then again, as Makoto recapped the list of his classmates, he realized it wasn't too bad.
Sayaka Maizono, the Ultimate Pop Sensation. My first ever friend here and a nice girl! I'll definitely be hanging out with her whenever possible, and not only to… hm, you know…
Aoi Asahina, the Ultimate Swimming Pro. A cheery and friendly girl who seems extremely easy to chat with. I'm sure she'll get along with everyone… except for a few exceptions…
Sakura Ogami, the Ultimate Martial Artist. Probably the strongest of my classmates and a girl with a sharp sense of honor. And even if she seems intimidating, she's not really, it seems.
Byakuya Togami, the Ultimate Affluent Progeny. 'Prick' as Sayaka said, probably rightfully. Who knows, perhaps he'll open up and become more likeable with time?
Toko Fukawa, the Ultimate Writing Prodigy. A nervous girl with a habit for self-depreciation. Again, she might get more confident as the year goes?
Kiyotaka Ishimaru, the Ultimate Moral Compass. A loud guy who dislikes people shouting. And even though he shouted at me a second after I entered, he doesn't seem that bad of a guy.
Leon Kuwata, the Ultimate Baseball Star. A chill guy with the most obvious crush on Sayaka, apparently… He should be pretty easy to hang out with.
Chihiro Fujisaki, the Ultimate Programmer. The most adorable girl in the class by far. Her smile is contagious and I'm sure she could make anyone open up! Even Byakuya!
Mondo Owada, the Ultimate Biker Gang Leader. A cool guy when you go over his cold behavior. I'm certain he won't get along with everyone… Especially Byakuya…
Kyoko Kirigiri, the Ultimate Detective. The Headmaster's daughter and the most stoic girl I've ever seen. And I've found a way to get on her bad side, although she doesn't seem the vindictive type. I'll try to get her to open up to me; she seems nice.
Yasuhiro Hagakure, the Ultimate Clairvoyant. The closest we have to a fraud, it would seem. He doesn't seem like a bad guy, though, just… he looks kinda limited…
Celestia Ludenberg, the Ultimate Gambler. A nice and polite girl, although she seems to have an exceptional talent for lying, which makes sense considering her talent.
Hifumi Yamada, the Ultimate Fanfic Creator. Has some weird fetishes… but seems dedicated to his talent, at least? Yeah, this '3D material' thing was creepy…
Junko Enoshima, the Ultimate Fashionista. She seems nice, although rude at times. She's the only one who thinks my 'luck' is a talent, so I guess I should be grateful?
And finally, Mukuro Ikusaba, the Ultimate Soldier… Probably underserved victim of her sister's vulgarity but rather scary girl, too… I just hope she won't murder me in my sleep…
As he was absorbed by his train of thought, Makoto hadn't even realized he was now outside, in the central plaza. The outside breeze was nice and the Ultimate Lucky Student found himself just standing there.
His thoughts went to his new class, Class 78th with who - if everything went right - he would spend two whole years. And considering his classmates, it didn't seem that bad. After all, nothing could go wrong at the Academy of Hope, right?
To be continued…