Disclaimer: I own nothing. So, uh…..don't sue me. I'm like totally broke over here.


Chapter 3:
The Start of Something Hopeful

Koichi took a sip from the flask he carried with him at all times, not paying attention to the ongoings of the world around him. He didn't like to be awake this early, and he usually wasn't. However, since he had been assigned as a teacher this year, it seemed like his habit of sleeping in late was going to be cut short.

'Stupid responsibilities…...doesn't the school understand my drinking hobby!?'

They were short on staff at the moment, though, so it couldn't be helped he supposed.

'I gotta just continue my drinking and get up early in the mornings.'

It didn't sound too tough. He had done it today, hadn't he? True, he had been rather late. And yes, he felt like shit. But sacrifices had to be made for his booze.

With this in mind, the man settled himself comfortably on the stage, resting his back on the wooden surface. He was gonna continue fantasizing about all the alcohol he was gonna drink later were it not for Mahiru who suddenly appeared over him, both hands on her hips.

"Geeeeeeeez. What kind of teacher are you!? You know the gym was almost just destroyed, right!?"

The girl was annoyed, Koichi knew this much. But what did she expect? All Ultimates were crazy in some form or another. Bring them together in one place, and bam. Catastrophe was sure to happen.

Sitting up, Koichi was about to explain this to the girl but stopped when he noticed the rest of his class staring at him with a mixture of annoyance, disgust, and just impatience.

He didn't make the best first impression, did he?

"What's this? I thought you guys were fighting it out."

Nekomaru, who held Akane by the back of her shirt, grunted. "I was able to calm them down…..somehow."

Akane struggled against him. "Let me go, old man! Things were just starting to look good!"

Naruto scratched the back of his head. "A three-way doesn't exactly suit me right now, Akane. I just wanted to sucker punch Gundham."

The beast tamer scowled. "Y-You…...how dare you call me by such a name!?"

"Huh? Is there something wrong with calling you that?"

Gundham looked like he wanted to say something else but held himself back. Instead, he crossed his arms and looked away. "H'mph. Very well. Address me so casually if you must. Just know I'm prepared to destroy you at a moment's notice. That is the power I hold. With my Four Dark Devas of Destruction! Fuhahahahahaha!"

His four hamsters came flying out from his scarf again, all cheering alongside their master.

Naruto being Naruto stepped up to the laughing breeder and looked at the hamsters with curiosity.

"Woah. You really do have hamsters living inside your scarf. That's so cool!"

Sonia was right beside her fellow blond, also mesmerized by the hamsters.

"He is right! It is incredible! And they're so cute too!"

"Urgh!" Gundham tried to step back, not used to people being so friendly with him like this. "S-Step back, you fools! Otherwise, you'll get blown away by my automatic barrier!"

"Oh my!" Sonia gasped, believing the boy. "I don't want something like that to happen!"

Naruto shook his head. "Calm down, Sonia. He's just kidding."

…..Right?

"Hey, you guys, this isn't the time for this!" Mahiru said from on top the stage. "We're supposed to be having our entrance ceremony, remember?"

Mikan twiddled with her fingers. "B-But we've already introduced ourselves. What else are we supposed to do?"

Mahiru turned to Koichi. "That's what our new teacher is supposed to tell us, right?"

The man brought his arms up in defense. "C-Calm down, Koizumi-chan-"

"Don't call me that!"

"R-Right!" Koichi coughed into his hand and put his flask away. "Well, we do have one more matter to attend to today," he told them as he stood up again. "Actually, more like two."

Fuyuhiko h'mphed. "And what are they?"

He just wanted to get this done with as soon as possible.

"It's a tour of the school of course!" Koichi grinned. "I know some of you have been here before, but many of you haven't. That's why it's best if you get a feel for what your new campus looks like. You'll be here for the next three years, after all."

Assuming none of them failed the practical exams of course.

Hiyoko tapped her cheek. "Then we can start right now?"

She too wanted to leave already. She wanted to go home and eat her candy on her bed like she usually did during this time of the day.

"Not so fast." Koichi walked up to the podium on top of the stage. There, he pulled out a basket and showed it to the class. "All your names have been written on sheets of paper and put in here. One of you will come up and draw a name, and whoever you get will be your partner for today."

Koichi hadn't been the one to come up with this idea. He was originally just going to let them do whatever they wanted. But then Tengan had come up to him a few days ago and suggested this idea to him. While it was rare for the advisor to do that something like that, Koichi went with it, mostly so that he could seem sophisticated to his students.

Hiyoko huffed in annoyance. "Why do we have to pair up? I don't want to be close to any of these idiots."

Teruteru chuckled nervously. "Your appearance doesn't match your attitude at all…."

Nagito on the other hand seemed excited about the idea. "Hahaha. So wonderful. I'm sure everyone will get closer because of this activity."

Mikan glanced at Naruto who was scratching his head. She was hoping she would get paired up with him. But would he even want that? No, there's no way he would. She would probably just be a burden to him.

Koichi placed the basket by the edge of the stage as Mahiru went down to join the others.

"Well? Who wants to go first?"

"Ibuki! Ibuki gets to be first!" Once again, it was the enthusiastic girl who volunteered herself. Naruto was amused, finding her enthusiasm to be very addicting.

The girl was humming to herself as she stuck her hand in the basket. She ravaged through the sheets of paper for a few seconds, probably to build up suspense. It was just her style to do something like that.

"Ugh, just pick one already!" Hiyoko shouted, annoyed.

"Kay, kay~" Ibuki finally pulled out one paper, which was folded. Opening it up, she read the name out loud. "Nanami Chiaki." She started laughing. "Hahahaha, Ibuki's partner is Chiaki-chan!"

Said girl was too busy gaming to pay attention, making Ibuki pout. There needed to be more excitement here!

The second person to choose was Kazuichi who stepped up to the plate almost immediately.

"Stay back, all of you! I have to choose Miss Sonia!"

Naruto tilted his head. "Huh? Why? Do you have a crush on her or something?"

Let it be known that Naruto wasn't one to be very subtle about stuff like this.

Kazuichi spluttered. "W-What!? N-N-N-I mean,t-that's none of your business, man!"

Hiyoko looked away with a smug look. "Just get it over with already, you loser. Not like any girl would want to be paired up with you in the first place."

"Y-You don't have to say it like that!" Kazuichi shouted, his heart nearly broken by Hiyoko's words.

The mechanic went for the basket and quickly picked out one of the folded papers. His heart was beating fast inside his chest. Was it going to be Miss Sonia? Please let it be Miss Sonia! He needed to get closer to the girl, and this activity was just right for the job!

His hopes were shattered a moment later.

"K-Komaeda Nagito…..."

Nagito chuckled. "Oh, I see. I'm so lucky to be paired up with someone as talented as you, Soda-kun."

Kazuichi turned to Koichi with a pleading look. "Can I have a do-over!?"

"Nope~ Now move along for the next person to get their turn."

With slumped shoulders, Kazuichi walked back to the others.

The one who went third was Mahiru, since none of the others seemed very interesting in going up. Except for maybe Sonia. The name the redheaded photographer picked up was none other than…...

"Saionji Hiyoko-san."

Said girl looked at the redhead. "So I guess I'm with you then." Her face displayed some measure of annoyance. No matter who she was paired up with, it would still feel like a chore to her.

Mahiru, though, offered her a friendly smile. "Mhmm. I hope we can get along."

Hiyoko was taken back a bit by the smile but quickly recovered.

"W-Whatever."

Naruto's eyebrow rose. 'Was Hiyoko happy just now or what?'

Hard to tell with someone like her.

Sonia decided to go up next, a bounce in her step. This was the first time she was ever doing something like this. It made her heart beat with excitement! Although she was a bit wary by the looks that Soda man was giving her. She should probably stay far away from him.

The princess pulled out a name from the basket with ease and read it out loud.

"Um, let's see. It says Tsumiki Mikan."

The nurse in question squeaked. "M-Me?"

She didn't think anyone would pick out her name. Or, more like, she had been hoping Naruto would. Her dream didn't come true, though…..

Sonia quickly ran up to her. "Let's get along on this adventure, Tsumiki-san!"

Mikan nearly tripped from having the girl so close to her.

"Y-Yes! Let's do our best!"

Naruto was happy to see that the girl was getting along with the others.

Nekomaru followed afterwards, his massive hand reaching for one of the names inside the basket.

"My partner for today shall be…..KUZURYU FUYUHIKO!"

The yakuza didn't look all that pleased by this development. Then again, he hadn't looked happy once since he had gotten here.

Laughing, Nekomaru made his way over to Fuyuhiko. "Hahahaha! We shall make sure to have the best record out of everyone else here!"

Fuyuhiko twitched. "This isn't a competition, dumbass."

Nekomaru didn't look fazed at all by his comment, and instead continued to laugh.

Naruto decided to take his turn here, tired of waiting.

Nagito shot him a wave. "Good luck, Uzumaki-kun."

Mikan also cheered for him, albeit more softly and hesitantly.

"Y-You can do it, Uzumaki-san."

While he appreciated the support, all he was doing was pulling out a name from a basket. Nothing difficult about that. Naruto decided to not say anything, though, and merely accepted the encouragement.

He quickly fished for one of the papers in the basket. And the name he pulled out was none other than Pekoyama Peko.

The blond looked to where the girl was standing. She had been one of the quiet ones so far, not speaking very much. Naruto found that to be a bit lonely.

Maybe he could change that?

"Looks like it's you and me, Peko."

Peko closed her eyes. "I'd prefer if you didn't address me so casually, Uzumaki-san."

Naruto chuckled as he walked up to her. "Don't be so stiff, Peko. No reason to act like old farts here."

One of her eyebrows twitched. "Regardless, I feel as if-"

Naruto cut her off and patted her on the back. "Again, don't act so stiff. We're in the prime of our lives. Not old people."

Peko twitched again. Dealing with the Uzumaki was going to require all of her patience it seemed.

As for Naruto, he was once again forgetting about his rule to not make any friends here. By this point, there was no turning back, though. His usual friendly nature was just rooted in him. He acted without thinking about it. That's just the kind of person he was. Not only that, but the students here seemed just like the type of people he'd like to hang out with.

Fuyuhiko found the whole scene to be somewhat annoying to him. No one got that close to Peko. Almost everyone they met was scared of her. The only exception was their family. But this guy…...

'What's his deal?'

Something was definitely up with the blond, Fuyuhiko just didn't know what it was.

"H'mph. Let's see which of you fools shall serve as my unfortunate companion for this trip in the Netherworld."

Gundham walked forward and took a name from the basket. "It seems…...my companion shall be none other than the angry beast who dared to attack me earlier!"

Mahiru frowned a little. "Just…...what?"

It was all the girl could say.

Nagito decided to translate for them. "Seeing as Uzumaki-kun already has a partner, I believe he is referring to Owari-san."

"Huh? Me?" Akane placed a hand on her hips and grunted in annoyance. "You should have just said something in the first place, hamster man."

Gundham visibly recoiled at the nickname. "You fool! You dare refer to my Four Dark Devas of Destruction by such a term!" He gripped his wrist in anger. "They have the power to destroy this entire world!"

Kazuichi deadpanned. "I think you're totally overestimating the power of those hamsters of yours."

"Alright, that's enough." Koichi decided to take charge before another argument could break out. He needed them out of here ASAP so that he could take a nap. "The last two remaining are Hanamura and Mitarai. That means the two of you are together."

Teruteru flashed the animator a grin. "Let's get along, okay?"

Ryota didn't know why, but he didn't trust that grin one bit.

Koichi waved them off. "Now go. Explore the school to your heart's content. Or whatever."

Mahiru narrowed her eyes. "And you're not coming with us?"

"Why would I?"

"You're our teacher! It's your job!"

"Pfft. You brats are old enough to know right from wrong. I'm not gonna hold your hand."

This guy…...he was rather blunt, wasn't he?

"Oh, that reminds me." Koichi suddenly looked up. "After you're finished, go to the nurse's office on the first floor. There, you'll get fitted for your uniform." He shrugged a little. "If you want to wear a uniform anyway. Like classes, it's not mandatory for you to do so."

Many were pleased to hear that it wasn't mandatory, mainly Hiyoko, Kazuichi, and Nekomaru. And Teruteru too, since he rather enjoyed wearing his usual getup. It was a constant reminder of what he was here to accomplish.

And with that, the sixteen students began to file out of the gym in order to explore this new school of theirs. It was going to be a big chunk of their lives, after all.

This was shaping out to be a long day.


The groups of two had totally wandered off on their own, each interested in different parts of the school. For example, Teruteru was excited to see what the cafeteria had to offer, as did Ryota for some reason. Heck, the animator was even bouncing in excitement when Teruteru offered to cook him something.

Hiyoko was complaining about walking so much, but Mahiru was somehow able to get her to keep going. The redhead apparently wanted to see the courtyards since, according to rumors, they were pretty beautiful.

Kazuichi kept sulking that he wasn't with Sonia while Nagito tried to console him, the two vanishing down the hall.

Speaking of Sonia, Mikan had been curious about the nurse's office, so the two girls had headed off in that direction.

Naruto didn't know where Ibuki and Chiaki had gone off to, but knowing Ibuki it was definitely not going to stay quiet around here for too long.

Gundham and Akane were also a mystery, as was Nekomaru and Fuyuhiko. There was no telling what kind of trouble they could get into, but Naruto decided not to worry about it too much.

He and Peko were already at the fifth floor of the school. They had come up here because nothing else was really interesting to them on the lower levels.

'Hmm. There should also be another class joining the school this year,' Naruto thought, scratching his chin. He wondered what kind of talents they would have. Was there anyone who could help him in that class? What about the older students? He needed to get in touch with them as well, see if he could probe them about finding a way to another dimension. The thought of failure never entered Naruto's mind. There couldn't be failure.

Peko stopped in front of the dojo, which was located on this floor. The door was opened, so she was able to admire the inside of the room. It was pretty well-kept, and it had the standard training equipment she would expect from a dojo.

Naruto stopped next to her, scratching his belly.

"Man, I'm starting to get hungry. Maybe I should ask Teruteru to cook me up some ramen." The cook could probably pull off something divine if his ultimate talent was all about cooking.

Peko shook her head. "You get familiar with people really quick, don't you, Uzumaki-san?"

The blond shrugged. "I guess? I've just never bothered with etiquette and stuff like that. In my life, there was never a need for it. It was more about survival than anything else."

Peko's face took on a more somber mood. She could kind of guess some of the implications that came with his statement. "I see. I'm not sure whether I should envy you or not."

"I don't know either." Naruto walked over to one of the lockers, checking to see what was inside. He saw some arrows and a bow. Nothing his style. "But like I said back in the gym, it doesn't really matter now. We're all the same in here."

"I would have to disagree with you there," Peko replied. "Everyone walks a different path in life. Nothing can be ever truly understood because of it. The only thing we have in common is talent. It's why we were brought together to this school."

Naruto chuckled at that. "Talent, huh?"

"Did I say something funny?"

Naruto turned his attention over to one of the other lockers to see if there was anything more entertaining in there.

"No. It's just…...well, you reminded me of something funny is all."

Peko crossed her arms. "Care to share it?"

"Hm." Naruto's eyebrow rose when he found several bamboo swords, or shinai as they were known, lined neatly inside this locker. He grabbed one of them. "It's nothing big. Just that, back in my village, I was known as the dead last in my class."

Peko's curiosity was genuinely piqued. "You're not from around here?"

"Not even close, no." The blond stepped back from the locker and gave the bamboo sword some practice swings. "My village is far from here, and we're not exactly up to date with all the technological stuff you guys got going on around here. It's been troublesome trying to adjust to everything. Just when I think I got the hang of it, something else comes along to prove me wrong. It's like I'm a baby or something."

Despite herself, Peko was somewhat amused by how disgruntled the boy sounded when he said that.

"Anyway, I wasn't exactly the star child back in my school in my village," Naruto carried on. "In fact, just about everyone thought I was never going to make it as a ninja."

"What happened?"

"Simple. I proved them all wrong."

Peko's mouth thinned. "You make it sound so easy."

Naruto shook his head. "It wasn't. Some days, it felt truly hopeless. It was only worse when I saw just how skillful some of my other friends were. The gifts they had been born with…...well, it certainly put a damper on my mood. But I was able to get through it all. And I did it through effort." Naruto turned to look at the girl. "Say, Peko. What do you think? Do you think talent trumps effort? Or that effort can overcome talent?"

Peko found herself unable to answer that question. She had never once put any thought into it.

"I…...am not sure."

Naruto pointed the bamboo sword at her. "Have you practiced hard to gain the skills that now make you the Ultimate Swordswoman?"

"I have, yes." Peko looked down at the wooden floor. "There…...is someone I must protect, at all costs. It's the whole reason behind my existence. That is why I work hard everyday to polish my skills. To be useful to that person…..to repay what cannot be repaid. I work hard everyday for that reason alone."

Peko didn't know why she was talking about something like this. She never talked to anyone like this. But this Naruto person…...he made it so easy for her to open up and be truly honest for once.

As for Naruto, he was beginning to see that there was more to Peko than just her cool and composed nature.

She was still human.

Grinning, Naruto reached back for the locker to grab another bamboo sword.

Acting on instinct, Peko caught the bamboo sword thrown her way before she could even look up at the grinning Naruto.

"What…..is this?"

Naruto closed the locker and walked over to the center of the dojo, holding his bamboo sword over his shoulder.

"We're gonna have a practice match, you and I."

Peko frowned. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah. It's said strong people can communicate best when they trade blows. And not to toot my own horn or anything, but I consider myself pretty strong. I bet you are too. I'm sure we can get to know each other a lot better through a sparring match than through words."

"Why?"

"I'm bored, and I'm sure you are too. Best way to kill time."

Of all the responses he could have given her, Peko hadn't been expecting that. She appreciated it all the same.

Peko walked over to stand in front of Naruto in the middle of the dojo, her bamboo sword at her side. She gripped it tightly.

"It's true what they say. Each weapon feels differently."

Peko was used to handling her personal sword, which she hadn't brought with her today since Fuyuhiko had forbidden her from doing so. It would make her seem more "amicable" he said.

Naruto recalled Tenten saying something like that to him once, about how each weapon was different. He really didn't get it since he wasn't much of a weapon specialist, but he could understand what Peko was trying to say.

"I'm sure you'll be fine. You're fighting against a novice who's not used to handling a sword."

Amusement flashed on Peko's face. "And yet, you still ask me to spar? Me, the Ultimate Swordswoman?"

Naruto shrugged, grinning. "Meh. It keeps things interesting."

That, Peko could agree with at least.

And so, the two teens faced one another, their stances ready for battle. Their faces were full of determination. Neither doubted the other's skill. They could both tell that the other was a warrior, so they wouldn't make the mistake of underestimating one another.

The first clash happened in an instant.


Fuyuhiko was close to yelling at the gigantic fool who followed after him through the halls of Hope's Peak Academy. The yakuza didn't really have a goal in mind. He just wanted to be alone and see what he could find around here. Nekomaru had wanted to check out any of the training facilities in the school, but Fuyuhiko had refused. He wasn't into that sort of thing. This inevitably led to the current conundrum they were facing.

"You need to have more spirit in you, Kuzuryu. Otherwise, you'll be destined to fail!"

"T'ch. Don't start lecturing me, dumbass. I know what I need!"

Nekomaru grinned widely. "Then how about I take you under my wing? I promise to lead you to greater heights! Not only as a leader, but also as an athlete!"

Fuyuhiko's eyebrow twitched. "That makes no sense. I'm no athlete."

Nekomaru looked over Fuyuhiko's body. "It's true. You lack the appropriate muscle mass. However, that doesn't mean you can't get there with hard work. With the right diet and training regime, I'm sure you'll see yourself blossoming into an even greater athlete! I guarantee that. Otherwise, MY NAME ISN'T NIDAI NEKOMARUUUUUUUU!"

It was just like what Fuyuhiko thought. This guy was extremely loud. But another part of him, one that he didn't like to admit existed, was glad that the team manager was talking to him like this. It had been a very long time since anyone talked to him casually. People were usually afraid of him since he was the heir of the biggest yakuza gang in the country. Not that he could blame them. It just got a bit lonely after a while, though.

'Maybe…...Peko and I can finally have something here…..'

At that moment, that hope was etched into Fuyuhiko's heart. It was something else that he would never admit, though.

The pair continued up the stairs as Nekomaru tried to get Fuyuhiko to follow with his training program. He managed to hide it well, but if one looked closely, they would see a small smile on Fuyuhiko's face.

The conversation soon stopped, however, when Nekomaru heard something down the hall. The two were now on the fifth floor without being aware of it. Their back and forth had kept them more entertained than they realized.

"Hmm. This is…..."

Fuyuhiko looked at the team manager. "Something wrong?"

"You don't hear it?" Nekomaru walked closer to the noise. "It sounds like…...two people are trading blows with one another."

"Huh?" Fuyuhiko didn't hear anything. But as he followed Nekomaru, the noise began to register into his ears. Unlike Nekomaru, Fuyuhiko realized what the noise was, though. He had been hearing it for a very long time. Ever since he was a little kid in fact.

'Peko…..!'

Acting on instinct, Fuyuhiko ran full speed toward the noise.

"Hey!" Nekomaru was caught off guard by this but soon followed. He was both surprised and delighted to see that Fuyuhiko was pretty fast if he wanted to be.

The noise led the two boys to the dojo. The doors had been left wide open, so they were able to see what was going on inside. It went without saying that it surprised them both.

Naruto and Peko were fighting, after all.


Words had not been spoken between Naruto and Peko for some time now, the two looking like blurs as they continued to strike at one another throughout the dojo.

For Naruto, who never had used a sword in combat before, this was a refreshing change of pace. Since he had no true skill with it, he had to rely on his speed and agility to be able to keep up with Peko.

For Peko, who had been holding a sword all her life, this kind of fighting was right up her alley. The problem was that the blond was much too fast for her. Faster than anyone else she had ever seen. This way why she had to make due with her advanced skills with the sword to keep up. But she knew that, if the Uzumaki wasn't holding himself back from just using a sword to attack her, this sparring session would probably already be over.

But where was the fun in that? Because that's the thing: Peko was having fun. It was the first time she had felt this way when practicing with her swordsmanship. It wasn't that she hated it. In fact, more often than not, it calmed her down. At the same time, the only reason she took up the sword was so that she could stand alongside her young master. It was a constant reminder to her of her destiny as a tool. That's why she had never really had fun when dueling with others. Not until today, that is.

The two were suddenly in front of one another in the middle of the dojo, their bamboo swords held against the other. It was amazing to see that the swords had stayed intact throughout the whole fighting session as the two were going at it pretty hard.

Naruto grinned when he saw the look on Peko's face.

"That's a nice smile you have there, Peko-chan. You look a lot better that way."

Peko felt her cheeks burn red at the compliment. But more importantly: was she really smiling? She hadn't smiled in such a long time that she had forgotten how to. But now she was?

"Oh my~ Such an intense atmosphere~ Ibuki feels like she'll be swept away~"

The two teens stopped when they heard the sing-song voice. They turned to the entrance of the dojo only to find that their whole class was there, watching them. They had been so focused on each other that they hadn't noticed anyone show up.

How embarrassing.

Stepping back, Naruto let out a sigh in order to calm down his heart and his nerves. It had been an awesome training session for him.

"I guess we'll have to call this a tie for now."

Peko had to agree, also relaxing. "Yes. But I am impressed. Even though you're a complete amateur with a sword, you are very adept at fighting."

Naruto grinned some more. "Ultimate Ninja here, remember?"

Peko sighed and chuckled. "Right….."

Ibuki was quick to join the two, slapping them in the back.

"Hey now! Don't be forgetting all about us, you lovebirds! Ibuki will not allow it!"

Naruto blinked. "Lovebirds?"

Nagito spoke up here, his face bright. "That was incredible you two! I was able to see your talents shine through! And even though I had my doubts about Uzumaki-kun, he proved me wrong!" He then looked down and sighed, a bitter look spreading across his face. "I'm so ashamed of myself. I should have known better than to doubt you, Uzumaki-kun. I really am the worst."

Kazuichi rolled his eyes. He was already getting sick of this guy.

"Can you just shut up please?"

Sonia's face displayed her excitement. "Ooooooooohhhh~ I too had my doubts about you being a Japanese ninja, Uzumaki-san. But you are!" She looked at Peko. "And you were wonderful as well, Pekoyama-san. Keeping up with a Japanese ninja…..it's incredible!"

Mahiru laughed awkwardly. "Umm. Sonia-san, ninjas are only from Japan, you know?"

Hiyoko huffed and looked away. "Stupid princess….."

"Let her be!" Kazuichi shouted, jumping to defend his new love. "It's just some…...culture shock! That's all!"

"I knew it! You are strong!" Akane smirked and raised her firsts. "I wanna fight you, Uzumaki! But forget the swords! Just come at me!"

Naruto chuckled. "Sorry, Akane. But maybe some other time. I need to get my measurements done for my uniform."

Akane sulked.

Mikan appeared next to Naruto, looking worried. "A-Are you alright, Uzumaki-san? You're not hurt, are you?"

Naruto patted her on the head. "I'm fine. It was just a practice session. Nothing you have to worry about, Mikan."

The girl found herself enjoying the head petting more and more. In fact, it might become addicting to her.

"You are right about that, though." Mahiru remembered what Koichi had told them. "If we want to get our uniforms, we'll have to go down to the nurse's office."

Sonia smiled. "Yes! There's a teacher waiting downstairs for us. Tsumiki-san and I already confirmed that."

"I'm quite fine with what I have on." Teruteru flashed them a grin. "It's a lot more…...intimate, don't you think?"

"SOOOOOO GROOOOOSSSSSS!" Ibuki was the one who voiced what every female in the room was thinking.

"I don't need any stupid uniforms," Akane said while picking her ear. "That just sounds like a lot of trouble."

"Geez." Nekomaru crossed his arms over his massive chest. "You're quite a simple woman, aren't you?"

Naruto turned his attention to Nekomaru, remembering something important. He had finally realized it in his fighting session with Peko. He needed to keep up with his training if he was going to make sure he was going to stick around here. He personally also wanted to keep his skills. Normally, he took care of his own training, but there was nothing wrong with getting some help either.

"Yo, Nekomaru. I actually need a favor from you if you don't mind."

"Oh?" Nekomaru faced the blond. "And what might that be?"

Naruto went to the locker to put the bamboo sword back where it belonged.

"Since I'm in the city, I no longer have anyone to help me with my training. So I was wondering if you could come up with something for me. If you can."

Determination started to flash on Nekomaru's face. And did the electricity from his eyes get stronger too?

"Leave it to me! I'll make sure to give you the best training regime you have ever seen! Or else, my name ISN'T NIDAI NEKOMARRRRUUUUUU!"

Naruto was amused. "Thanks. I appreciate it."

Nagito chuckled. "Yep. Everyone's hope is shining through today. It's so wonderful."

Ryota could only shake his head when he heard this. 'What a strange guy.'

"Now, let us march onward." Gundham faced the door with his four Dark Devas of Destruction striking poses all across his body. "It is time to meet our maker! Fuhahahahaha!"

Mahiru sweatdropped. "We're only getting our uniforms….."

Hiyoko sulked. "There are so many weird people around here. I hope I don't become one too…..."

Kazuichi scratched his cheek. "I think you already are one…."

The blonde dancer glared at the mechanic. "No one asked you!"

"Now, now." Mahiru kept the girl from pouncing on Kazuichi. "We should all get along here. We are going to be together from now on."

"I fully agree with that." Nagito smiled. "If we're together, I'm sure everyone's hopes will shine even stronger."

No one knew what to say to that.

Except for Naruto who walked up to the boy and patted him on the back.

"Nagito…...we're going to have to make sure you learn how to talk later."

"Oh." Nagito seemed uncertain about something. "You're even using my first name too?"

"Well, yeah. We are kinda friends now, aren't we?"

Nagito didn't seem to know how to take this. "I'm flattered by your words, Uzumaki-kun. But…."

"Sheesh, stop saying weird stuff already." Naruto shook his head before looking over to Teruteru as they all began to exit the dojo. "Teruteru! I actually have a request for you too!"

"Oh my~ You're so forward, Uzumaki-kun~"

"…what's with this strange vibe in the air….?"

Nagito watched everyone exit. He didn't understand this strange feeling in his chest…...

What could it be?


"What's your hometown like, Uzumaki-san!?"

"Erm, you're getting too close, Sonia…."

"P-Please give Uzumaki-san his space….."

Kazuichi was positively glowing with jealousy as he watched Naruto be surrounded by not only Mikan, but also Sonia. Mikan had offered to take Naruto's measurement for his uniform. The blond had taken her up on the offer, not seeing any reason to turn her down. Sonia just wanted to know more about the "Japanese ninja."

Nagito chuckled softly as he noticed Kazuichi's current demeanor.

"Uzumaki-kun certainly is popular, isn't he?"

"I don't like it," Kazuichi muttered, his jealousy growing the more he stared at the scene. "Miss Sonia should be hanging over my shoulder right about now!"

"Man, what a weird bastard you are." Fuyuhiko made for the door, having already gotten all his measurements done. He had his P.E. uniform in hand as well. Apparently those were also being handed out here, which Koichi had forgotten to mention to them. Mahiru hadn't been pleased about that, calling their teacher a "drunk old man." No one had dared argue with her. "It's only your first day, and you're already after someone."

"I can't help it!" Kazuichi glared at Naruto who was too busy answering Sonia's questions to notice. "I've always dreamed of going out with a hot blonde! And Miss Sonia is a princess! That makes it all the better!"

Fuyuhiko could only shake his head in dismay as he walked out. Before closing the door, though, he gave Naruto one final glance. He had never seen Peko express that kind of emotion before. It…..was nice to him, to see his childhood friend act like that. To not be tied down by his clan's stupid rules. For her to just be a normal girl.

This place….it really was something else.

Peko noticed Fuyuhiko's stare and furrowed her brow, not understanding what her young master was doing exactly. It confused her, but it was probably nothing serious.

Hopefully.

Naruto's words were still fresh in her mind, though. She knew she had some thinking to do tonight.

Akane frowned as she picked up one of the female P.E. uniforms. "Do we really have to wear this?"

"It seems to be for physical exercise," Ryota said, already having his in hand. "I wonder why we have those here….."

"I think it's great!" Nekomaru grinned. "It's always a good thing to train the body!"

"I just can't keep up with all of this," Hiyoko said as she looked over the P.E. uniforms on the table. She had been happy that she didn't have to wear the school uniforms. Her normal clothes suited her just fine. But this…..this was just embarrassing for her.

Mahiru blushed a little. "I-I understand what you mean. Bloomers are a bit…..risky."

"I've never heard of these things before," Naruto admitted as he walked up to them. Mikan had finished with his measurements already for his school uniform.

Sonia was by his side, also curious to check out their P.E. uniforms. "Oh my! I have never worn such clothing before! It…..does not cover much, does it?"

"Mhmmhmm." Some blood began to drip down from Teruteru's nostril. "I believe the school has made a fine….choice. Indeed~"

Hiyoko looked like she wanted to puke. "Now I really don't wanna wear these!"

Mahiru sighed. "I know how you feel, Saionji-san. But I don't think we have a choice."

Sonia clapped and smiled. "Well, I for one am looking forward to trying them out. It is all part of the experience!"

Kazuichi beamed. "I agree with you, Miss Sonia! It can't hurt!"

Mahiru rolled her eyes. It looked like she was going to have to deal with a lot of perverts around here.

"But, Naruto-chan~" Ibuki suddenly appeared over the blond's shoulder, poking him on the cheek. The girl just wanted to touch the whiskers. They looked really cute to her. "How do you not know what bloomers are? Like, all guys know what they are!"

Teruteru smiled even more. "I certainly know what they are~"

Ryota backed away from the short boy. "You might not want to publicize that too much…..."

Nobody noticed Chiaki walking out in the background. She already had everything she needed, so there was no reason for her to stick around.

Naruto shrugged. "We didn't have these where we come from. Are they special or something?"

Teruteru shook his head. "Oh, Uzumaki-kun. How you must have suffered!"

Mahiru glared at the cook. "Or maybe he just has more decency than you!"

Teruteru didn't seem bothered by her comment at all. "I assure you, mademoiselle, no one has more decency than me~"

"I-It is a little embarrassing to be wearing bloomers in front of others," Mikan said softly while poking her fingers together.

Naruto didn't get it. "Hm? Really? Is it really that embarrassing?"

"It's mega-ton embarrassing!" Ibuki exclaimed, still poking his cheek.

Naruto would just have to see for himself then…...maybe. God, why he was looking forward to that? He couldn't be becoming more like Ero-Sennin. Not a chance.

Akane scowled. "I can make do with what I got. I don't need this!"

"It's part of the school rules," Peko reminded her as she walked toward the door. "I would take one at least if I were you."

"It is strange that they would enforce something like this over the official uniforms," Sonia muttered, mostly to herself.

Kazuichi shrugged. "Eh, who cares. It is what it is."

He was just looking forward to seeing Sonia in bloomers. That would be a sight!

"Anyway, I believe this is where our day ends, correct?" Nekomaru said as he noticed Peko walking out.

"Ah!" Ibuki raised her hand. "Ibuki has a question! What classroom are we in!?"

No one had an answer for her.

Mahiru frowned. "Geez, our new 'teacher' didn't even tell us that."

Mikan turned to the teacher that had been setup here to help them with their uniforms. "I-I'm sorry, but do you know where our classroom is?"

The female teacher shook her head. "If I had to guess, I would say 1-B since you guys are section B. But I couldn't you give you a straight answer. I'm sorry."

The help was still welcomed.

"We're just gonna have to guess tomorrow then," Kazuichi said while scratching his cheek.

Sonia hummed. "Our new teacher doesn't seem very dependable…or am I wrong to say that?"

"No, you're totally right about that," Mahiru said. She didn't like how Koichi reminded her of her father. Not one bit.

Gundham shook his head. "Regardless, we shall find the answer through the fog….the only way of knowing is through actions!"

Nagito chuckled. "We'll get our answer tomorrow either way."

Naruto had nothing else to add.


Naruto noticed that, for the most part, his fellow classmates were staying in the dorms of the school. There were some exceptions, like Fuyuhiko with his clan. Peko had seemed to vanish as well, and Chiaki had somehow left without anyone noticing her.

And then there was also Sonia.

"You have your own hotel?" Naruto asked the foreign princess as the two walked toward the main gates of the school. The Uzumaki was staying with Tengan, after all.

Sonia nodded and brought her hands together. "Yes. My parents didn't think it would be too safe if I stayed in the dorms." She pouted a little here. "Even though I insisted and told them that I wanted to stay here. The whole reason I came here was to immerse myself in Japanese culture! How can I do that when I'm staying at a hotel?"

Naruto shrugged. "You can learn a lot from hotels….I think." He rarely stayed in them. The only times he did was when he was out on long missions. But even then, it wasn't to observe the people around him, or the culture for that matter.

Moving from that, Naruto felt that he could relate with Sonia in that regard. The two of them were from different places than the others here. Sonia's country was apparently very unique when compared to Japan. Or most of the world for that matter. That's why the girl got excited at the smallest of things. Well, that, and that she was also a very sheltered princess.

"It seems like this school is everything I was hoping for when I first heard of it." Sonia smiled fondly as she stretched out her arms. "For the first time, I can be around people my own age."

"With the way everyone is, I'm sure you'll have your fill of fun."

Seriously. Every single one of their classmates had their own quirks that made them crazy. Even Mahiru was looking like someone who fit with them despite how "normal" she was. Chiaki…...was just Chiaki right now.

Sonia giggled, and Naruto had to admit that it sounded rather heavenly to his ears. Was this the influence the Ultimate Princess had on others? How very strange.

"I look forward to getting to know you better as well, Uzumaki-san!"

Naruto sighed. "Just call me Naruto. Since I call you Sonia, I think it's fair."

That, and Uzumaki-san was just too formal for him.

"Oh, I see." Sonia flexed her arm. "I shall take you up on that offer! I give praise to thee, Naruto!"

Naruto merely laughed in response.

Yeah, this was something else for him. To be having this much fun…..it was unexpected. But it was also welcomed.

And so, this concluded the first day for section B of the 77th class of Hope's Peak Academy.

Fun and misadventures were on the horizon.


Apparently pairings are a hot-contested issue around here. Who knew? But anyway, I would like to say that I do have a pairing in mind for this story. Is it a harem? No. At least, right now, it isn't. I don't think I'm talented enough to pull off something like that. At least, in a convincing manner. But the thing is: many aspects of this story aren't set in stone. It's going to be a slice-of-life really. At least, until Junko starts fucking things up like she always does. Damn that despair loving goddess. That said, I could potentially change my mind about the whole harem thing. At the moment, it's only one girl, though. Who that girl is…...well, only I know.

But you can guess~

That's basically all I got to say this time around. Reviews are always welcomed, you scalawags.

Till next time.