Hajime continued flicking through the e-book the white haired student he'd met at the market had so kindly pointed out. So far, he'd met what appeared to be eight of the fifteen other students on the island. The Ultimate Dancer, Breeder, Mechanic, Princess (that was a thing?), Cook, Nurse, Musician and of course, Lucky student. Each profile had things such as Height, weight, chest size, likes and dislikes, and obviously, their talent. Except, of course, for Hajime's own. Unlike the other students, under the talent portion of the profile, the title ' Ultimate ? ' mocked him from the screen.
After a brief moment of frustration, he stopped walking entirely and took a deep breath.
Hey, Izuru.
No.
You don't know what I was going to ask!
You were going to enquire if I had any knowledge of your talent.
Smartass. So, you're not even gonna give me a hint?
My belief is that your psychological state would benefit from not knowing. Additionally, this is supposed to be a mystery, Hajime. You already have more hints than you should have been strictly given.
"If it's supposed to be a mystery, why am I the only one who seems to find it mysterious?" A grumpy sigh escaped as he rubbed the back of his head. He continued on his way, lifting his pad back up, but not taking in any information.
It was…concerning. Not just being whisked away to some island, but the things he did and did not remember. Back when he'd woken up, he'd been more preoccupied with Izuru's sudden manifestation than his messed up memories. Afterwards, he'd been running around meeting classmates, and becoming increasingly paranoid over Izuru's vague warnings. Now he had time to think though, his memories were…concerning.
On one hand, I know I attended Hope's Peak for at least a little while, he crossed his arms in thought. However, everyone else seems to be acting as if we'd never met each other before. I mean, I don't remember any of them either, but I can't exactly remember anything specific from my time there either. But still, shouldn't someone have said something already?
And of course there's my talent...
Quickly enough a fence appeared on his left, behind which he spotted sparkling water, and eventually, neat rows of small, cute cottages.
"Finally, that felt like that took forever." Hajime sighed tiredly.
It didn't help you took one of the longest routes possible.
What are you muttering about now?
If you would bother to look at the one useful part of that irritating tablet, you would find a map.
What are you talking about –
"Oh." Hajime blinked at the map that popped up on his screen. The island clearly depicted five locations; the market, the airport, the ranch and finally, the structure up ahead.
You were so distracted when you left the ranch you retraced our steps, walking right past the beach area, before reaching the airport and going clockwise from there. If I didn't already have such low standards for humanity, I might actually be disappointed in you, Hajime.
Hajime made an indignant noise in the back of his throat and tried to swallow the rising shame. If he was going to have a hypocritical asshole in the back of his mind the entire time, this would be a long trip.
Eventually, he came to stand at a set of gates. Stepping through them cautiously, he glanced side to side. He was on a wooden boardwalk, set atop a body of calm, crystal blue water. The path branched a few meters from the entrance, a new pathway sprouting from both the left and the right. A quick peek revealed the same cottages he'd spotted before lining the new paths, each with a little mailbox and everything. When scanning the lines of houses (boys to the left, girls to the right, it seemed) revealed no new people, he continued forward.
Passing the cottages brought him in front of a large pool, beyond which sat a double story building with a grand entrance, and a set of stairs on one exploring the new building wasn't a particularly pressing issue, Hajime decided, as he watched an incredible scene unfolding before his eyes. Unlike the water surrounding the cottages, the water in the pool was not calm. In fact, it was only his sharp reflexes and a dash of luck that he was able to jump back in a timely fashion to avoid a wave of water, almost tripping backwards as he did. As the spray settled, two individuals were revealed standing waist deep in the half empty space, water lapping at their midriffs. The two faced each other for a second, before lunging forward and…wrestling?!
They don't even have swimsuits on! What the heck?!
"Ha ha…Is that all you've got…old man…" a woman puffed heavily as her arms strained. She wore a mischievous grin and a tight, white shirt. She stood to Hajime's right, in what he assumed was the shallow end of the pool. Matching arms with her was what Hajime could best describe as a mountain of a man; he too, grinned viciously.
"You're doing well," he praised. "However, in a setting such as this, where you can't use your legs to their full strength, you're at a disadvantage. You've been neglecting your arms." He advised calmly,
"Neglected?" the woman yelped. Her eyes flashed in anger and she grimaced. Arms straining, it quickly gave way to smug confidence. "Whatever, I'll take you down anyway, old man!" she declared, laughing. The man simply gave his own laugh in response.
Hajime stood at the entrance, mouth agape. "What on earth…?"
Another large splash had him jumping back in shock, trying desperately to avoid the veritable avalanche of water being flung his way. Water still managed to soak his left arm and shoe, but otherwise he came out unscathed. Once the spray come again settled, it was revealed the large man had managed to secure the woman in a head lock, while she flailed and struggled.
"Damn it…" she huffed. "I can't get a grip…!"
"HAHA HAH!" the man boomed. "Do you concede?" he asked with a sharp grin.
The woman sighed. "Yeah, I concrete, or whatever." The mountainous man nodded and released the woman from the headlock. Both slowly made their way towards the pool edge, pulling themselves on the tiles, dripping wet. Hajime noted that the pool water was barely lapping at the halfway mark and cringed at the amount of force that would have been needed to forcefully remove a couple hundred litres of water.
They're like monsters. Is this an Ultimate?
This is fairly typical of athletic Ultimates. The description of 'monster' might not be too far off.
The man grabbed a towel Hajime hadn't realised was hanging on a nearby pool chair, before turning and catching sight of Hajime hovering by the poolside.
"Oh? And who might you be?"
Hajime jumped slightly at the booming call and swivelled to face the approaching mass of muscle.
"Ah, I'm Hajime Hinata, nice to meet you." Hajime said cautiously. He's huge! Are we sure he's just a high school student?!
"Hold it right there!" the man roared. Hajime flinched and resisted the urge to squeak. Get it together, me!
"Your voice is too soft!" the man continued, "Let it rise from the bottom of your stomach! Now, who the hell do you think you are?!"
"Hajime Hinata, sir!" Hajime yelled back. I tacked on the sir without thinking about it… Hajime faintly felt a swirl of amusement from Izuru brushing against his mind.
Shut up.
The feeling grew.
"Gah ha ha!" the man laughed, breaking Hajime from his reverie. "Better! Much better! Now, I suppose I too should introduce myself! I AM NEKOMARU NIDAI! I AM THE ULTIMATE TEAM MANAGER!"
"Nice to meet you, I guess. That was a pretty intense battle you were having, huh?" Hajime replied, glancing at the pool.
"Indeed! It was a fantastic warm up!"
WARM UP?
"A warm up, huh?" Hajime said jokingly.
"Hmm…" the man hummed. Hajime blinked in surprise. The boisterous team manager had gone quiet and seemed to be staring at Hajime; or more specifically, Hajime's chest. The man continued to stare with an intensity that made Hajime feel as if he could melt from the laser-like gaze. The man stepped forward suddenly and grabbed Hajime by the arm, feeling from the shoulder to his wrist.
"O-oi!" he protested. What the hell is he doing? Just staring at my chest like that and then grabbing me by the arm? Why do I feel so self-conscious? Is this what girls feel like around perverts? No, no, get a grip, Hajime! There's a perfectly reasonable explanation for this. Right Izuru? Izuru?!
"You have a good physique, Hajime," the coach said eventually, releasing him.
"…Thanks?" Hajime responded carefully.
"You're not out of shape, but you don't seem to be doing any special training at the moment, am I right?"
"No, you're right. I don't really do any sports or anything." Hajime admitted. I'm too busy with school, work and homework. I can barely fit in a short trip to the gym, let alone actual sports. I just don't have the time.
"You would do well as a footballer," Nekomaru suddenly declared. "You have the build and shoulders for it. People always expect footballers to be mounds of muscle, but they're wrong. The best ones are quick and lithe, with a solid edge. Yes, you'd make a fantastic footballer! Hajime! Should you ever feel the wish to join the football league, please don't hesitate to inform me. I'll whip you into shape any time! Gah ha ha!"
So that's what he was doing. "I'll keep it in mind. Thanks."
Looking around, Hajime found the rest of the courtyard deserted; the tanned woman from before was nowhere to be found. She must have gone inside.
Fantastic deduction.
Is your only purpose to make sarcastic comments on everything I do?!
The concept of a 'purpose' is for small minded people who cannot comprehend a world without order. As for my actions, I am very bored, and mildly annoyed at the situation.
Of course you have some sort of nonsense reason. So? What's the go to with the coach?
Skirting around the pool, Hajime came to a stop in front of the hotel. There were two sets of stairs; a set attached to the left of the building which went directly to the second floor, and a second, smaller set of stairs that led to a grand entranceway on the bottom floor. Hajime decided to enter through the foyer first, and make his way up to the second floor later. Pushing open the double doors, he felt a cool rush of air conditioning hit him as he entered.
Blinking to adjust his eyes to the relative darkness, he stepped inside. Two people occupied the room. The first was a short boy, blonde hair cut in a short buzzcut. He was resting casually in a sofa in the for corner of the room. By some sort of ease of practice, the pinstripe suit he wore didn't seemed creased in the slightest, even though the closed eyes suggested he'd been there for quite some time.
Nekomaru Nidai...It goes without saying, but he is very powerful. I may even have trouble taking him down in a one on one situation; I doubt very few people could here could take him down. He is more likely to be a victim.
Hey, hang on, didn't you just say that he'd be hard to take down? What's up with that?
The other was a frankly imposing woman with long silver hair. She wore a sailor-style school uniform, and a kendo bag on her back. She was leaning over a table and seemed to be examining it with some curiosity. At Hajime's entrance, her eyes flickered his way and she seemed to twitch.
If you'd let me finish, he is unlikely to be thrown into a panic or coerced into murder-
Again with that!
-and his sense of chivalry means he won't expect a stealthy assassination. He will likely go down easily with a dose of poison, given the dosage is high enough. He is unlikely to murder anyone personally, but is not what I'd call a useful ally.
Since the other boy seemed fast asleep, Hajime decided to approach the intimidating woman first, and stepped forwards, keeping quiet. This time, her hand definitely twitched, and Hajime watched her warily. Something about this woman sent warning bells off in his head, but he approached anyway.
You have some sense, after all.
The woman's eyes raked his body up and down before relaxing minutely. She gave him a nod, an acknowledgement. With a glance to sleeping boy, Hajime dropped his voice to a whisper.
"Hi, I'm just going around introducing myself." He explained quietly.
The woman blinked slowly. "I see," she said. Her voice was low and rich but held a note of disinterest. "In that case, nice to meet you. I am Peko Pekoyama, the Ultimate Swordswoman."
Peko Pekoyama? Why would anyone…?
As if sensing his thoughts, she shot him a glare.
"I'm Hajime Hinata, nice to meet you. I don't actually remember my talent right now," he admitted. Peko raised an eyebrow in mild surprise.
"I see." She said.
With that, Hajime felt the conversation was over. He glanced over to the sleeping boy, only to feel a chilly glare on his back.
Guess I'll leave him alone…
Peko Pekoyama…a woman of unyielding loyalty and skill. Procuring her as an ally would be extraordinarily difficult, but perhaps not impossible.
Is that praise? Coming from you?
It is rare that a human will deny their own wants and desires for the sake of another. It makes her predictable, yes, but a curiosity.
Is it really that rare?
Helpless romantics pretend true love conquers all, Hajime, but that is a lie. In times of absolute peril, between choosing the life of another or of your own, when complete terror consumes, very few humans would willingly give themselves up for another.
Well that was pessimistic.
I'm a realist.
Spotting a set of stairs at the back of the room, Hajime ascended to the top floor. The sudden stream of sunlight made him squint, and he glanced around at the new area. The top floor appeared to be a restaurant, with a distinct tropical theme. Glass windows filled two of the four walls, and the sparkling ocean could be seen in the distance. Cool air conditioning was present in this room as well, and the space was filled with small sets of tables and chairs. The stairs from outside seemed to lead to an entrance on the wall behind him, and a set of double doors installed in the wall to his left suggested that was the kitchen space. In front of those, Hajime spotted a small group of three people, including the woman from outside.
He approached them cautiously. The other Ultimates so far had been erratic in their responses and personality, and he hadn't had good experiences with groups so far.
"Hello?" He called.
"Hmph. And who might you be?" A large man turned to face him, watery blue eyes peering from behind square spectacles. Flat blonde hair was cut short, and a scowl pulled at his impressively chubby cheeks.
"Yeah, I haven't seen you before." The other new stranger also commented. She had a shock of fire red hair, along with a smattering of freckles and soft green eyes. Her gaze was judgemental, and she posed with her hands on her hips.
"Hang on," she paused. "Aren't you the guy who passed out on the beach?"
"That's me…" Hajime mumbled.
"I was wondering when I'd see you around. I wouldn't of left you all alone if I knew it'd take you so long to wake up," she sighed.
"I'm actually pretty surprised I didn't get sunburnt," Hajime said absently, poking his face. "I must've been tired, I guess."
"Hmph. Taking a nap is completely different. If you have time to sleep, you should be helping exploring the island!" She scolded.
That was the wrong thing for me to say. Geez, she's kinda snappy.
"What is your name, then?" The large man interrupted.
"Right. My name is Hajime Hinata. Nice to meet you."
"Hajime Hinata. Two of the most common names in Japan, forming an indistinct common name. Hmm. Your family basically named you John Smith." The man smirked.
"Umm...thanks?"
I don't get what the second part meant, but I think I was just insulted.
You were.
The man continued, "I am Byakyua Togami, heir of the Togami corporation. I am the Utlimate Heir. Pleased to meet your acquaintance, I suppose."
Hajime heard Izuru sigh in the back of his mind.
What's up?
What a fantastically over the top performance.
Byakyua is pretty tame for an Ultimate, though.
…
Izuru?
Izuru didn't reply, and Hajime got the feeling the silence felt frustrated, almost sulky. Or maybe that was Izuru's emotions and he was finally getting the hang of this split personality thing.
Shit. I'm not supposed to 'get a hang of' a split personality. This is a bad situation!
"Hajime?" He blinked at the call of his name. The redhead frowned.
"Are you okay?" You kind of spaced out there. I'm trying to introduce myself."
"Sorry," he apologised,
She sighed. "I'm Mahiru Koizumi. My title is the Ultimate Photographer," she said, raising the camera Hajime hadn't initially noticed to eye level. "I hope we can get along," she finished cordially.
"So you guys finished chatting of whatever?" The woman in the white shirt suddenly appeared. Hajime blinked in shock; he hadn't realised, but she had disappeared when he'd originally approached, rummaging in the kitchen, judging by the crumbs scattered around her mouth.
"This is Hajime Hinata," Mahiru introduced him before he could get a chance to speak. "He was the guy who passed out on the beach when he arrived. Hajime, this is Akane Owari. She's the Ultimate Gymnast."
Akane lifted an apple to her mouth and took a bite. "Nicth t' meeth you!" she munched. Swallowing, she wiped her mouth with the back of her arm. "Hey, you look like you've got some muscle," she began with a grin. She cracked her knuckles and leaned in. "Wanna fight?"
"Ah, no thank you." Hajime turned down. "I saw your fight with Nekomaru outside. You'd probably flatten me."
"You saw that?" she brightened. "It was awesome, wasn't it? Just cause I lost, doesn't mean I'll lose next time though! You just watch, I'll beat the old man yet! I just gotta get some more training in!" she yelled. She bounced on the balls of her feet, a childish glee infusing her body. Water dripped as she bounced, and Hajime took a small step back. His shoe was still wet, and his foot was now freezing. Wet sock + air conditioning is not a good mix.
"Shouldn't you dry off?" He asked. "You're, uh, still really wet. Didn't you bring a towel?"
"Nah," she said. She ran a finger through her brown locks. They were tangled after the rough up in the water, and the neck length hair was beginning to curl. Her white shirt, already pulled tight against her bust, was practically see through, and Hajime pointedly looked away, focusing instead on the tan skin and brown eyes of her face.
"I'll dry off eventually," she waved off. "I was just grabbing some food, is all."
"By the way, Hajime," Mahiru asked. "What's your talent?" She had her tablet up, and was scrolling with her finger. "It just lists you as the Ultimate ?"
"Yeah, I know. Honestly, I don't actually remember. I just thought maybe I'd hit my head pretty hard when I fainted on the beach, but with my profile like that, I'm wondering if it was deliberate."
"Deliberate?" Byakyua asked sharply. "What gives you that idea? Tampering with memories is in the realm of science fiction. And something like a talent would be difficult to purposefully suppress."
"Not necessarily," Mahiru said thoughtfully, "Things like hypnotism are real, so it's a possibility."
"Why on earth would Hope's Peak bother altering a students memories on a school trip? Our purpose here is to become closer as classmates, nothing more." Byakyua huffed.
Hajime frowned, thinking. I forgot, to everyone else this is just a school trip. Yeah, it certainly started off weird, but Ultimates are pretty good at adapting. I've been treating everything as malicious because of my missing memories, and Izuru's mutterings of murder and killing. Why would Hope's Peak erase or hide my memories?
"I don't know," he finally replied. "I better get going, though. I lost a lot of time on the beach, and there's still…" he checked his tablet. "One more person to meet. Excluding the guy sleeping downstairs."
"You didn't try and wake him up did you?" Mahiru said worriedly.
"No, why?" he blinked.
"That's Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu, the Ultimate Gangster, he's the heir of the Japanese mafia. Waking him up is like having a death wish."
"Ah," he replied faintly.
"I'll see you around, then," Mahiru said. "You seem...fairly normal compared to most of the guys on this island, so I'll be counting on you in the future, okay?"
"Thanks, I guess?"
"Hmph. I will see you at lunch, or something similar," Byakyua huffed, before stomping off.
I guess that's his goodbye?
"Yeah, bye Harry!" Akane called, before making her own way out the front entrance.
She didn't even remember my name…
Giving a nod to Mahiru, Hajime made his way out the restaurant via the outside exit, trotting down the stairs on the outside of the hotel. He flipped open the map, studying it.
I suppose you'll want my analysis?
Hajime rolled his eyes.
Your 'analysis' is reliant on the scenario that people would have a reason, to you know, kill each other. Technically, there's no reason I have to listen to them at all. I'm probably just going insane.
…
You're gonna tell me anyway, aren't you?
Mahiru Kozumi is weak. She has no physical advantage, nor mental one. Her talent is all but useless in this situation. She is paranoid and sceptical of men, likely from some sort of situation in her family. She would make an easy victim for a woman, though I do not put it past her to murder out of panic or pressure.
That's a cutting review.
Byakuya Togami...the man you met today is self conscious, paranoid, and physically unfit. I am hesitant to label him either a murderer or a victim, though I lean towards the latter. As the heir to a ruthless corporate conglomerate, Byuakua Togami should reflect that. He should be ruthless, borderline sociopathic and competitive in nature. The man you met today however, is much nicer than he seems, and nowhere near as dangerous as he should be.
I feel like there's something important you're trying to tell me, Izuru. Either you're trying to suggest that the man I just met isn't Byakuya Togami, or that he somehow beat the odds and actually salvaged his moral compass despite his upbringing. I am really hoping it's the latter.
Skimming the map, Hajime noticed a bridge marked on the map, he and vaguely remembered passing it in his walk. He began making his way, allowing himself to jog lightly towards his destination as Izuru rambled.
And of course, Akane Owari. She is physically fit, and her backgrounds means she is used to the fight for survival. I would pin her as a murderer, rather than a victim. She would require serious pressure before she buckled, and would more likely commit a crime of passion than a planned murder.
Hajime slowed at the entrance of the bridge, and stepped lightly onto the wooden boards. The bridge was sturdy, and extended into the distance, with an indistinct blob green settled at the end. He made his way across slowly, feeling the salty sea breeze whistle through his thin white shirt.
And? What about Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu?
You want to know if the Ultimate Gangster, otherwise known as the Ultimate Mafia heir, is liable to kill someone? What a strange question.
Stop being a smartass. I wouldn't have pinned Nekomaru as a potential victim in whatever scenario you're running, so how would I know?
The situation with Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu is complicated. If he wished to kill someone, he would likely have his assassin, Peko, kill them in his stead, which would defeat the purpose.
The purpose of what?
And similarly, he would be difficult to kill because of that same reason. He has a deadly bodyguard, excluding his own combat abilities. Whether he'll be a victim or a killer is difficult to predict; the outcome will be interesting.
Okay, hang on, did you say Peko Pekoyama was his bodyguard and what. His assassin? She's another Ultimate, what's the chance they know each other?
I have more memories, and am just generally smarter than you could ever hope to be. They are partners, and her loyalty belongs to him alone. Which is why she is difficult to procure as an ally.
But…
She was guarding him why he slept, Hajime. How much more obvious do you need it to be.
When you put it like that…
Hajime stepped off onto the rich soil of what was marked as the central island on the map. He made his way along the path, circling a dense jungle, listening to the silence and the waves.
We just have to find one more, right?
Yes. I do wonder who it will be.
I thought you had all the memories. You seem to recognise everyone so far.
Correct, but we have met everyone part of your...class. I can think of maybe four pre-existing people that would make sense in this scenario. Unfortunately, two are dead, one is missing, and the other would make this scenario boring. So it is likely a completely random Ultimate I would have not met before.
I see...wait, dead?! What kind of memories of you have?!
Hajime rounded the final corner, spotting an opening in the jungle. He stepped down the path, which ended in a wide open space after just a few meters. A giant statue took centre place in the circular clearing. It was solid stone, and was comprised of five creatures. A snake, a snarling tiger, a man on horseback and finally an eagle were all curled around one another, standing at more than four meters tall.
Small benches dotted the edges of the clearing, and Hajime spotted a girl sitting on one to his right. He made his way over slowly. He made it until he was a few meters away before he could make out what she was doing. The girl had soft pink hair with a small hair pin Hajime recognised from the old style video game Galaga.
"Hello," he called. The girl didn't respond. He realised the girl was hunching over something, and studied her hands. She was holding a hand held game console, and was completely engrossed. Anxiety began to claw at his stomach, though he couldn't fanthom why.
"Hey," he called again, louder this time. He took another step forward, when the girl glanced up. His world stopped.
Soft pink eyes, pale skin, a sleepy expression… a name popped into his head without permission.
Nanami.
"Oh, hello," she yawned. "We haven't met yet, have we?"
Hajime stared in silence.
"I'm Nanami Chiaki. What's your name?" she smiled.
Emotions swirled heavily. Hajime couldn't tell if they were his or Izurus, but it made him nauseous.
Calm down!
Izurus emotions lashed out like a snake, and Hajime caught a taste; confusion, frustration, hurt.
Nanami continued to stare at Hajime placidly, her brows slowly furrowing as she watched the boy struggle. Noticing this. Hajime opened his mouth.
Say something, anything-
"Is that a Galaga hair pin?" he blurted.
Idiot. That's not even important!
Her eyebrows lifted in surprise, and her eyes suddenly filled with life. "You recognise it?" she gasped. "It's pretty old school, so I'm surprised anyone recognised it. Do you play?" she asked.
"A little," he managed in reply. "I've beaten the game maybe nine times? I used to love it as a kid."
"No way, really? I've only managed to beat it thirteen times, and sometimes I still revisit it for fun. It's so exciting to find another fan." she enthused. "What's your name?"
"M-me? I'm uh, I'm Hajime Hinata. Nice to meet you." Izurus emotions began to settle slowly like muddy water.
"Have we met before?" Hajime asked. He couldn't remember her at all, but the familiarity was strong, and the the sense of déjà vu was at least his, and not Izuru's.
Nanami's mouth opened in a small 'o'. A series of emotions passed over her face; surprise and shock, concern, puzzlement and finally a soft smile. "I don't think either of us have personally met before," she answered, "Would you like to play? I've got a Legend if Zelda port on my console I've been playing since this morning."
"Sure, I guess." Hajime answered cautiously. He returned the soft smile Nanami sent him and began to relax.
So that's what they did. Izuru's mental voice was thick with suppressed emotion.
Izuru?
It is not important. Nanami would never kill anyone, so she is likely to end up a victim. If you would like to see her safe, you may need to protect her yourself, as she is physically weak, and too trusting.
Izuru.
But Izuru was silent.
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Sorry for the long upload gap. For your patience, you get an extra long chapter! In other news, planning takes a long time, I forgot how to write, I entered another fandom and started writing another fic and really really hates me. So, since I'm writing this for the third time: starting to accept free time requests, leave feedback in reviews if you want, follow on tumblr at britishluxray to ask me questions, ask for drabbles, or god praise be, send fanart or whatever. I am trying to write all the characters fairly and true to form, so if you see something OOC, i sincerely apologise. Hello to the massive number of new followers this story has, and I'll see you next time!