Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Danganronpa.
Chapter 14:
It's Okay
"Maizono Sayaka?"
"Mhmm, that's correct, Uzumaki-kun. Isn't she beautiful? My loins are already tingling just from hearing her name alone! That's how powerful her beauty is. I'd say she gives the angels in our class a run for their money."
"Erm…...you really should watch what you say, Teruteru. Before you get into deep trouble."
"Hehehe, you should already know, Uzumaki-kun. I'm an honest pervert. I just have to share my thoughts with the world!"
He kept saying that like it made everything okay, but…..it really didn't.
Naruto felt like facepalming as Teruteru gushed. The two boys were at the park, the latter having arrived around ten minutes ago with his delicious food. Since Naruto had already eaten, he was content just sitting on the stage with Kurama on his lap while the others filled their stomachs. Teruteru decided to join him since he had eaten as well. It was here where the cook had started to show him several pictures of this famous idol that he was really into. One of the most famous idols in the whole country apparently.
It was just another foreign concept to the blond really, this "idol" business. It was sort of like this Maizono person was a goddess or something. Teruteru was sure acting like she was.
"They just announced that she's going to be releasing a new photo album in the coming months," Teruteru told him, pressing his phone to his chest. He started to drool. "It'll be a bikini set too. Oh, I can't wait to get my hands on it!"
Naruto looked a bit more interested now. He knew what bikinis were, and this Maizono girl did look really beautiful. It was a combo he could get behind.
But no, he was no pervert. Just a healthy male. Honest.
"I would sell my own kidney if I got to meet her!"
Naruto shook his head. "That's stupid. Sure she's beautiful, but she's just a person. I don't think you should put her on a pedestal like that."
"Ohohoho, I would expect nothing less from you, Uzumaki-kun. I'm sure with your beastly spirit you could even tame this wild fairy."
Beastly spirit? Wild fairy? Where did Teruteru come up with these things?
"I swear. You and Kazuichi confuse me a lot."
Speaking of the mechanic, he strolled into the area later than everyone else with Mikan following suit. He had a lot of complaints too.
"I've had it! Nanami is working me to death! We gotta stop her!"
The girl looked up from her meal. "Stop me? Why?"
Kazuichi nearly tripped when he saw her. "Ah! You're here!"
"Yes?" Chiaki tilted her head. "Why wouldn't I be?"
She was a lot more mellow now that she was eating, which was good in Naruto's book. They didn't need another wild person. They already had Akane for that. On a related note, the gymnast was scarfing down what looked to be her tenth serving of the stew. It was a good thing Teruteru brought the whole pot with him, or else Akane might have rioted.
"A-Anyway, I demand a break!" Kazuichi crossed his arms and scowled. "I've already had to do way too much around here!"
As the mechanic said this, Mikan looked at the pot filled with stew with a wanting look. She hadn't eaten and was really hungry. But should she get some? Would it annoy the others if she did?
So many questions!
"But, Soda-san, this is for the animals in need of families," Sonia spoke up, her face disapproving. "We must work hard for that goal!"
"Yes, of course, Miss Sonia! I totally agree!"
"This guy….." Naruto sweatdropped, as did Ryota and Mahiru. Hiyoko looked plain disgusted.
"He's a total dog, I swear."
"H-Hey, there's no reason to be so brutal!" Kazuichi cried out, still not happy that Hiyoko was always ready to pick on him. He had feelings too.
"Just start eating," Naruto called out to him as he petted Kurama. The little fox's fur was really soft. "We wouldn't want you dropping dead."
"Don't be so morbid," Kazuichi muttered under his breath but went to grab a share of the stew for himself.
Seeing this, Mikan decided that it might be safe for her as well and followed Kazuichi's example.
"Look at all these kittens, enjoying my food." Teruteru whistled. "It's a nice sight, isn't it?"
"Are you secretly a sadist, Teruteru?" Naruto had to ask.
"Hmm, I don't know." The cook genuinely pondered the question. "I generally prefer being on the receiving end of a good punishment, but I suppose I don't mind dishing out some as well. If I feel like it that is. Hahahaha."
Naruto really didn't need to hear that.
"But anyway, Uzumaki-kun! We must make sure to get our hands on this photo album at all costs!"
"You're still on that….."
"They will be hard to acquire," Teruteru said, ignoring Naruto's total lack of interest. "I'm sure they'll be sold out within the first day. That is why we must plan our strategy well."
Naruto noticed Mikan joining them on the stage with a plate full of the delicious stew while Teruteru ranted on.
"They will be sold in specific stores, so we must camp out. We'll need to beat the competition, so I suggest arriving at least three days in advance."
Three days? This idol obsession was something else.
"A-Am I interrupting?" Mikan asked softly as she sat next to the blond.
"Nah, Teruteru is just fantasizing about this photo album."
"O-Oh."
That didn't sound all that interesting to the nurse.
"I don't think you understand how serious this is, Uzumaki-kun." Teruteru waved his finger in front of Naruto's face. "Every hot-blooded male in Japan will be fighting to get their hands on this photo album! Even married men!"
Mikan squeaked. "M-Married men?"
But cheating was wrong!
"I think you're over exaggerating," Naruto said dryly, not believing the short cook for a second.
Teruteru looked disappointed. "It seems I must teach you the wonders of Maizono Sayaka-sama so that you may finally understand."
Wait, -sama? Seriously?
"What are you guys talking about?" Nekomaru joined them on the stage, his chains clanking with every step.
"Woah, is that Maizono Sayaka? The hottest idol in Japan!?" Kazuichi noticed the picture on Teruteru's phone as he followed behind Nekomaru, curious about what the commotion was about.
"Ew, he really just said that." Hiyoko covered her mouth with the sleeve of her kimono from where she sat, having heard Kazuichi's outburst. "You're really just a loser virgin, aren't you?"
"Why are you always saying something snide about me!?" Kazuichi cried out, ready to burst into tears.
"It's still inappropriate," Mahiru said, her face deadpanned. "Talking about girls like that."
Naruto raised his arms in surrender. "Hey, wasn't me."
Mahiru didn't look convinced. "Are you sure you're not interested as well, Naruto-san? After all, you do seem like the type."
Oi, that was profiling!
...was it?
"Oh, you don't have to worry, Koizumi-san." Teruteru shot the girl a wink. "I'm sure Uzumaki-kun has those thoughts about you as well."
Mahiru's whole face burned red, but from anger or embarrassment it was really hard to tell.
"W-W-Why y-y-you no good pervert!"
"Hehehe, thank you."
"It wasn't a compliment!"
Clearly she didn't understand Teruteru's thought process.
Mikan had to fiddle with her fingers, her face red as well. Did Naruto really think about Mahiru like that? Did he prefer a girl's body to be slender, like Mahiru's?
'I-If he had those t-thoughts about me…..'
She couldn't finish that thought, lest she passed out from the embarrassment.
Hiyoko had to sneer in Teruteru's direction. "You really are disgusting, aren't you?"
That should have been very obvious by now.
"Oh, an idol? It would be amazing to meet one! I've always heard great things about them!" Unlike Teruteru, Sonia was more innocent about the whole thing.
"Ibuki wouldn't mind doing a collab with such a talented person~" Ibuki had heard of this idol before. How could she not? They were both in the music industry, and Maizono Sayaka was one of the most popular names out there. But their genres couldn't be more different.
"That sounds like a great idea!" Hiyoko was totally on board with that. If it meant she could listen to Ibuki's music some more, then she was on board with almost anything really.
"Eh? Sounds boring to me." Akane stopped eating for just a second to say that before continuing with her thirteenth serving. It was just too delicious! She couldn't stop shoving it in her mouth!
"Ahaha, I think you guys are getting the wrong idea about this," Teruteru said, chuckling awkwardly. He just wanted the photo album, nothing else. Well, meeting Maizono in person wouldn't be so bad either.
'Oho, my buddy is standing up in excitement again!'
Yeah, his motivations were really twisted.
"I wouldn't mind getting one for myself too," Kazuichi admitted before realizing his mistake. "Ah, b-but you're still number one, Miss Sonia! No one can beat you."
Sonia either didn't hear him or didn't care as she didn't respond. She simply kept eating as she sat next to the quiet Chiaki.
'Harsh,' Naruto thought with a sweatdrop as Kazuichi cried to himself for being so blatantly ignored. Hiyoko on the other hand snickered at the sight. It was always fun seeing Kazuichi suffer.
Yeah, she still had her mean streak.
"Hah, I know nothing about idols," Nekomaru said, "so I don't understand why you're so excited about this."
Good old Nekomaru. Always so innocent and sincere with his words and actions. That's why someone like him could never understand the intentions of Teruteru, who was the exact opposite.
"We'll make a plan of this later." Teruteru started to comb his hair again. "We shall march toward our destiny, sooner rather than later."
That sounded cool, but given the motivation behind it, Naruto couldn't really get excited. It was just a photo album. Why make such a big deal about it?
'I'll never understand perverts.'
Even after having one for a teacher.
'I really am surrounded by idiots,' Ryota thought to himself as he sat in silence.
He just knew he was going to get wrapped up in Teruteru's crazy plan somehow, even if he didn't want to. There was no escaping it by this point.
That's what he got for finally making friends.
After their eventful meal, the group of Ultimates got to work again. Well, only a couple of them still had jobs that needed to be completed. Namely Kazuichi, who was working on another contraption Chiaki had thought of. Namely, the so-called Flour Tower.
'Why did Kuzuryu have to approve of this crap?' he grumbled to himself as he finished setting up some wires, much to Chiaki's delight.
"Amazing! This is amazing, Soda-kun!" the gamer girl cheered from the side. She watched him get the main switch ready for the game or ride. Whatever it was.
Kazuichi's lip twitched a little, almost forming into a half-smile. Okay, having Chiaki cheer for him like this was pretty cool.
'If only it was Miss Sonia.'
Now that would be total bliss.
"Thinking about Sonia again?"
"AAAAAHHHHHH!" Kazuichi broke into a high-pitch scream when Naruto suddenly appeared next to him.
Naruto's face was amused. Once again, Kurama was resting on top of his head.
"If you could see your face right now."
It was glorious.
"Bastard!" Kazuichi would have punched him if he didn't already know how strong Naruto was. "Why the hell would you scare me like that!?"
"Honestly, I wasn't trying to. Not my fault you're so skittish."
Not even Mikan reacted to his sudden appearances like that. Well, not anymore.
Kazuichi gritted his teeth in annoyance. 'Blond bastard.'
"Uzumaki-kun!" A pouting Chiaki got the blond's attention. "Don't interrupt Soda-kun! The best game for the festival still isn't ready yet!"
"Is that all I am to you!? A slave!?" Kazuichi said with wide eyes.
"I think a tool is more like it," Naruto blurted out.
"That isn't any better!"
Naruto never said it was.
Mikan came running towards them, looking completely out of breath as she came to a stop next to the pouting Chiaki.
"T-There you are, Naruto-san! I was worried when you suddenly disappeared."
"Sorry about that," Naruto said sheepishly. "I just wanted to see Chiaki's crazy idea come to life."
If Chiaki took insult to his words, she didn't show it. She was probably too excited to care.
"W-Well, just let me where you're going next time…..." Mikan trailed off, blushing a little. It was only by luck that she was able to find him, and even then she had checked four different areas before coming here.
Kazuichi looked on with jealousy. "Seriously, why do you get all the attention? I call hacks."
Thankfully, he didn't say this loud enough for Chiaki or Mikan to hear him, just Naruto.
"Attention?" Naruto repeated, confused. "What are you talking about?"
"That too! Your attitude pisses me off. It's like you're the main character of an eroge. Getting girls without trying. It's not fair!"
An eroge? What the hell was that?
"Why are you always speaking in riddles? I don't get you."
Kazuichi wanted to rip his hair out. "Urgh, I really want to punch you right now. Can I? Just once! It'll make me feel better."
Naruto snorted. "What? Are you pissed that Sonia blew you off again?"
It wasn't again!
"She didn't blow me off!" Kazuichi denied it immediately. "She just hasn't seen my cool side yet. But after the festival, she totally will!"
After all, it was only thanks to his hard work that all the games and fancy decorations were being completed in time. That included the lights that Sonia was so fond of. She would totally take notice of him after this!
Naruto was once again amused, but for totally different reasons.
"You're a funny guy, Kazuichi."
"What was that?" The mechanic scowled as he turned back to the switch that he was working on. As stated, he had already set up the wires which connected it and the tower. He just needed to make sure the switch was calibrated correctly. It was very simple really. The switch was only going to control the flour, when it was dropped and by what amount. If it was more complicated than that, then it would take longer to set up. It was time that they didn't have. That's why simple was better in this case.
"You picking a fight?"
"Not really," Naruto answered truthfully. "It's just funny watching you try to win Sonia over. And a little sad too."
"So you are picking a fight, you bastard!"
He wasn't.
Naruto decided to get to the point. "You do know that you won't catch Sonia's attention like that, right?"
"Huh?" This time, Kazuichi didn't respond right away. Instead, he took a few moments to mull over the implications of Naruto's words. After he did, he looked ready to tackle the blond out of desperation. "H-How do you know that? Did she tell you something!?"
If so, Kazuichi wanted to know ASAP!
"Something like that, yeah."
Speak more clearly, you blond bastard!
"But that's not why I said it. I was actually like you once, so I can tell you from experience that you're going to fail."
Kazuichi froze. Did he hear that right? Did Naruto just say they were the same? But…..that couldn't be. In Kazuichi's mind, Naruto was everything he wanted to be but couldn't. It was no exaggeration either. Of course, he would never say this out loud. It was far too embarrassing. But it was true. Naruto had the confidence that he lacked. He was able to approach Sonia with such ease that it made Kazuichi positively jealous. Just as jealous as when he saw Sonia talking with Gundham. Why couldn't he be like that with the girl?
To be completely honest, in many ways, Kazuichi looked up to Naruto. Not just as a leader, but as a person.
"What are you saying? You're, like, the total opposite of me!" Kazuichi looked annoyed saying this, but it was true. "How can someone cool like you say that you're the same as me?"
It was sad really, but Kazuichi knew that Hiyoko was right with her statements about him. In many ways, he was only trying to act and look cool. It wasn't by choice, though. The only reason he ended up looking like this was by mistake. And he was always trying to seem cool to impress Sonia, not because it was his true character.
Kazuichi was so down with his thoughts that he didn't even pick up on the fact that he just acknowledged Naruto as "cool." Even after vowing to never do it.
Amusing.
Naruto almost fell over in laughter. "What are you talking about? I know I like to toot my own horn, but no one is perfect." He certainly wasn't. Especially when he was younger. "Point is, I had my own crazy crush on a friend of mine, and it didn't end pretty."
Now this was news to Kazuichi. "She rejected you?"
"Constantly, yeah!"
Kazuichi's eye twitched. Why the hell did he look so happy admitting to this? Usually, a failed romance was supposed to be embarrassing!
"It wasn't until later that I realized my feelings for her weren't as genuine as I thought." Naruto paused again, but for a different reason this time. "No, I didn't phrase that right. More like…..I thought my love for her was romantic but in reality it was the love of a friend. Of family."
It was a conclusion Naruto had arrived at recently. Right after his fight with Pain in fact. Sakura's "confession" had only sealed it.
To Kazuichi, it sort of made sense, what Naruto was saying. But he still didn't fully understand. "What are you getting at? Are you saying that I don't love Miss Sonia?"
"Nope. Only you can answer that." Only you yourself could be sure of your own feelings. That was fact. "What I am saying is that you're making the same mistake I did and not approaching Sonia correctly."
Again, Kazuichi didn't get it. He scratched his head under his cap. "Not approaching her correctly? What the heck does that mean?"
Naruto sighed. This guy...
"Tell me, Kazuichi. What do you know about Sonia?"
"Um." Kazuichi took a second to consider the question. "She's a hot, blonde princess. Duh."
Naruto deadpanned. "Wow."
"D-Don't start judging me!" Kazuichi exclaimed. "And besides, I'm not wrong! She is a hot, blonde princess! Or what, are you saying she's ugly?"
This guy was a total idiot. Maybe that's why Naruto felt so compelled to help him. Because he was an idiot too.
"I'm not saying that. But besides her looks and her status, what else do you see in her?"
Kazuichi had no answer for this. He wanted to answer it so badly, just to piss Naruto off, but he had nothing.
"That's my point," Naruto said, speaking softer this time. "That friend I was talking about earlier? I did the same thing to her. I never really bothered to stop and think why I actually liked her and only ever pushed myself on her."
It was hilariously sad how things had gone down back in the Academy. Naruto's crush on Sakura had been a terrible misunderstanding on his part. No, perhaps not a misunderstanding. More like….an illusion, born from his rivalry with Sasuke. He never really bothered to get to know Sakura, and instead just didn't want to lose to Sasuke. Not even in romance.
Eventually he did get close to her, and he wasn't mistaken about his image of her. She was a wonderful friend, one of his very closest friends in fact. But that's all it was. Naruto could see Sakura as a sister in many ways, just as he saw Sasuke as a brother.
Kakashi would probably be the perverted and laid back uncle in that scenario then. Pretty fitting all things considered.
"I-I'm not pushing myself on her," Kazuichi denied, but he didn't sound confident. Maybe it was because he was finally grasping what Naruto was telling him.
"You are, especially whenever you call her a princess or put her on a pedestal." Naruto leaned in and said, "I'll let you in on a little secret here. The last thing Sonia wants is to be seen as a princess by us. She only wants to be treated like a normal girl. When you refer to her as a princess, you're only reminding her of her status back home. It probably feels like you're alienating her from the rest of us. Is it that surprising that she wouldn't like that?"
It was almost like Buddha himself had come to Kazuichi and given him a lesson in enlightenment. His face went from surprised to utterly dumbfounded as he took in what Naruto had to say.
But was that really it? Was Sonia reacting so negatively to him because his actions were inadvertently treating her like an outsider? That's the exact opposite of what Kazuichi wanted! It got even worse when Kazuichi realized that he was practically doing the same thing he hated other people doing to him. Judging him for his appearance. He had put Sonia in a box without considering her own feelings.
Oh god.
Naruto stepped back and nodded. "Now you see."
It was a lesson he had learned, so he wanted to make sure Kazuichi did too.
"I can't believe this." Kazuichi's voice came out as hollow. "So all this time, I've been sabotaging my own self."
Holy shit. They weren't wrong when they said romance was a battlefield. Analyzing your own moves was very important. And Kazuichi had failed to do that.
Kazuichi then shook his head. "Wait, why are you even helping me anyway?"
He still didn't get that part.
"Why? Should I not?" Naruto cocked his head, confused by Kazuichi's question. "It's normal to help a friend out, right?"
Kazuichi was left dumbfounded again. He honestly thought the blond didn't think much of him. Or maybe that was just his past issues surfacing up again. Kazuichi wouldn't say he distrusted other people, but after what had happened with his former best friend, it was hard for him to easily expect friendship from others.
Maybe that was another aspect of Naruto's character that he was jealous of. The blond was able to make friends with others so easily and make them feel comfortable. Hell, he was doing the same thing with Kazuichi right now! Despite the fact that Kazuichi wanted to stay disgruntled towards Naruto, he found that he really couldn't. Not seriously anyway.
'Stupid blond.' He cursed again. Kazuichi was really bitter about this. But it was a childish form of bitterness, much like the annoyance he felt towards Naruto's lack of understanding in romantic cues.
Nevertheless, appreciation began to rise in Kazuichi's heart in the middle of all this. Even if he would never admit to that too.
It was also nice to see Naruto in a new light. Just like with Sonia, Kazuichi had perhaps begun to unintentionally put Naruto in a pedestal as well, seeing him like the absolutely perfect guy. And that just wouldn't do.
But then the most troubling part of all of this dawned on Kazuichi.
"Wait a second. I just got love advice from the densest guy I know…..."
NO WAY! HOW DID THIS HAPPEN!? Kazuichi was sure he was better than this!
Naruto felt insulted. "Dense? What the hell are you saying?"
He wasn't dense! If someone had feelings for him, he would know right away! And he totally wouldn't make the same mistake Kazuichi was doing. Not again. So how was he dense!?
"Don't start! You're denser than a rock! You can't even see what's right in front of you! I mean, how could someone be this stupid!?"
"Stupid am I!? If I'm stupid, then what are you!?"
"That doesn't even make sense!"
"It totally does, you shitty mechanic!"
"Say what!? I don't care if you are a ninja! I'll beat your ass!"
"Bring it! Anytime, anywhere!"
The two started to butt heads. Kazuichi might have a newfound appreciation for Naruto, but that didn't mean his frustrations with the guy were thrown out the window. He was still annoying in so many ways!
To the side, Chiaki took all of this in with a blank look while Mikan stood next to her. "Hmm. I think we might have been forgotten."
Normally, Mikan would feel sadness because of something like this. Being ignored was the last thing she wanted, after all. Especially from Naruto. But after seeing Naruto and Kazuichi acting so close, it just made her heart get all warm.
"I think it's nice that they're getting along."
"Are they really?" Chiaki didn't see it. She just saw two guys fighting over something stupid.
But then again…..
'Hmm…..'
She looked closer and saw that there wasn't any real spite in either Naruto or Kazuichi. They were cursing each other out, sure, but they were having fun? Perhaps this was another way to bond with people that she didn't know about. It wouldn't be the first time.
In the end, Chiaki could only come to one conclusion.
"Boys are weird."
Mikan giggled, silently agreeing. Still, the nurse wouldn't have it any other way.
"Hey, hey. What's your favorite type of girl, Uzumaki-kun? Do you like them with curves or flat and tight?"
"Urgh, why are we talking about this again?"
And watch your phrasing!
"You're the one only one who wasn't shown their true colors yet. We need to confirm where you stand! We can't betray each other."
Naruto really had the worst of luck, didn't he? Not only did he get stuck with Teruteru, but Kazuichi was here too. The three boys were out by the front gates of the school. The sun was starting to descend already, which marked the beginning of the end of this long day.
Finally.
Kurama was resting inside Naruto's bag again. After all the excitement today, he was probably exhausted.
"We gotta make sure we don't cross each other's paths," Kazuichi said, carrying on. "I know you gotta be going for someone. Hell, even Kuzuryu has Pekoyama!"
Seriously? Ibuki must have said something to him, didn't she? That girl…...
"Who has who, you bastard?"
Kazuichi almost screamed for help when Fuyuhiko's aggravated voice reached him.
"Ah, Fuyuhiko." Naruto saw the yakuza approach them with Gundham in tow. Good, an escape. "I take it everything is going well?"
"Basically, yeah."
"H'mph." Gundham crossed his arms. "Do not doubt our efforts. All the familiars are aware of what's coming." A small smile graced his lips. "They are most excited for what the coming days will bring."
Naruto was sure that meant that the animals were looking forward to getting adopted.
Awesome.
"Anyway, what's happening with you guys?" Fuyuhiko asked. He had left the park early, so he didn't get to see the rest of the construction.
"Great, I guess. Only one of Chiaki's crazy games didn't get installed today."
A fact the girl had been sad about. But Kazuichi was adamant about working on it later. He didn't want to be left alone in the park while everyone else went back to their dorms and/or homes. Or in Sonia's case, her hotel.
Fuyuhiko looked put off by the mention of Chiaki's name. "Her again. What a troublesome bastard. I think she got too excited with making these games. Is she trying to kill people?"
Naruto chuckled. "Yeah, but I don't see the harm. At least she toned it down."
"Barely."
Oh well. Chiaki was having fun. That's all that mattered.
Fuyuhiko pushed that aside and said, "What's happening here anyway? Are you guys going out?"
Naruto gave the grinning Teruteru a side glance. "This guy hasn't stopped bugging me about this photo album he wants to get. I don't know why Kazuichi is here."
"What was that!?" Kazuichi scowled. "I just want to make sure we get our stories straight!"
Fuyuhiko clicked his teeth together in annoyance. "Not this crap again."
He had enough of Kazuichi's crazy fantasias to last him a lifetime.
"Oh shut it! I already know you're going after Pekoyama!" Kazuichi retorted.
The way Fuyuhiko's face lit up was kind of funny actually. Naruto made sure to keep this to himself, though.
"S-Say what!?" Fuyuhiko nearly shook his fist at Kazuichi as he tried to get his blush under control but had little success. "Who the hell said that!? Don't be getting the wrong idea, or I'll cut you!"
"Ha." Kazuichi smirked. "Your threats don't bother me now. I know you're a softy."
This guy. Was he really brave or just stupid?
"Why you…..." Fuyuhiko tried to look murderous, but the blush really wasn't helping his image.
But man, Naruto was a bit surprised. Okay, more like really surprised. Fuyuhiko was interested in Peko, after all?
'I thought Ibuki was just joking about that…...'
The girl really was sharper than he gave her credit for.
Teruteru whistled in contentment. "There is no need to be so shy, Kuzuryu-kun. We are all men here. But I must say, you have really good taste. Pekoyama-san looks to be quite the freak in bed, if the black thong she's wearing is anything to go by."
How the hell!?
Naruto felt himself turning red by this knowledge. "How do you know she's wearing a thong…..?"
Many things were different in this world. Women's panties? Not one of them.
Teruteru patted himself on the chest, looking proud. "Ohohohoho. A master never reveals his secrets, Uzumaki-kun."
This guy. He was totally going to get murdered one day, wasn't he?
"T'ch, just let Pekoyama hear you say that." Fuyuhiko looked more calm now. Maybe Teruteru's stupidity had helped? "She'll slice you in half."
Naruto didn't doubt that for a second.
Teruteru didn't seem to mind. "I can't help but bring out the passion in women. I'm just that irresistible I suppose. Ahahaha."
"Your confidence is for sure," Naruto said, shaking his head.
Gundham didn't look amused either. "H'mph, perverted creature."
Kazuichi nearly rolled his eyes as he pointed at Naruto, Gundham, and Fuyuhiko.
"You three may try to act pure, but deep down you know you agree with us. We gotta make the best of our high school lives!"
Why was he always going on about that? Naruto didn't understand it at all.
"But you can keep your hands off Miss Sonia!" Kazuichi focused on Gundham. "I just got some useful inside information today. I'll definitely defeat you!"
Gundham cackled. "Fuhahahaha. How amusing, Soda. If I were to even release one percent of my power, you'd be incinerated in an instant!"
"Your mumble-jumble crap won't work here!"
"Mumble-jumble? You dare to insult the Overlord of Ice!?"
"Overlord of crap is more like it!"
Naruto had to turn away from the stupid argument. "Well, they're going at it again."
Fuyuhiko shook his head in disdain. "They'll never learn."
"Mhmm, I don't mind." Teruteru grinned. "Their passion is more than enough to excite me!"
Naruto got the feeling that there were probably very few things that didn't excite the cook.
"But returning to our initial topic, Uzumaki-kun." Oh please no. "We must get our hands on this photo album when it comes out. We just must!"
Fuyuhiko raised an eyebrow. "Photo album?"
Naruto looked down, dismayed. "This guy is obsessed with this idol who's apparently releasing a photo album in a couple of months."
Fuyuhiko wasn't surprised at all.
"And if their band holds a meet-and-greet, we must attend that as well!"
"You'd probably just get arrested," Fuyuhiko said, snorting at the thought of Teruteru in the same room with an idol.
That poor girl.
Naruto was of the same mind. "There's no telling what you'd try to do. She might need a whole team of trained guards just to get her out of there alive."
Teruteru sweatdropped. "Um, you guys. That's just hurtful."
But wasn't it the truth?
"H'mph, you and your pitiful skills can't even hope to match my Four Dark Devas of Destruction! You dare to think you can stand before me!? Your pitiable delusions are worthy of damnation, you mortal."
"Your hamsters aren't worth crap! I'll squash them! Just watch me!"
And those two were still going at it.
Naruto was just surrounded by idiots, wasn't he?
That night, Naruto worked at the ramen shop as usual. He made sure to sneak in some snacks for Kurama now and then, but nothing eventful happened really. Sonia wasn't able to come in today, though. So that was the only "strange" part of Naruto's shift. The girl was probably too exhausted from her excitement to come, sort of like Kurama.
Did he just compare Sonia with Kurama?
He did. And Naruto didn't regret it.
'Hopefully I can get more training in this weekend after the festival,' Naruto thought as he made his way outside after his shift was done. It was already dark out, with the moon shining brightly down from the sky.
He wondered what the others were doing for a moment. Probably resting? Well, maybe except for Nekomaru.
The poor guy had practically been dragged off by Akane after their work had been finished today, demanding another fight. According to Nekomaru, the girl was asking him for a fight almost every hour of the day.
She was persistent, that much was true. It really reminded Naruto of how he was back when he first became a genin, always wanting to fight Sasuke at every turn.
How nostalgic.
Even as engrossed with his thoughts as he was, Naruto still felt the kick coming for his head and dodged appropriately, disappearing in a blur as he jumped into the air.
Okay, what the hell?
Naruto took care to land softly so as to not disturb the sleeping Kurama in his bag. "Okay, who's asking for an ass kicking?"
Who would even bother to randomly attack him in the middle of the night anyway?
Really, he never should have asked.
"There you are!" The wild looking Akane took her place on the other side of the street and faced him. Her clothes looked a bit tattered, and she herself was bruised a little. "It took me a while to pick up your scent, but I finally found ya!"
Okay?
"What do you want, Akane?"
After everything that had happened today, Naruto just wanted to lie in bed and sleep. He was more tired than usual. He wondered why.
Akane had a different idea. "Isn't it obvious? I'm here to challenge you to a fight!"
Seriously?
The blond massage his forehead. "Didn't you already challenge Nekomaru?"
And from the looks of it, he had crushed her.
Akane scoffed. "That's that, and this is this! I gotta see if I'm any closer to beating you!"
"And you think challenging me after having already fought against someone else will help?"
"Yes. What's wrong with that?"
How simple minded was this girl?
Naruto realized something more important here.
"You're not going to let me go until I fight you, are you?"
Akane's grin was feral. "What do you think?"
Welp. There went his sleep.
"Fine." Naruto smirked. "But for disrupting my sleep, I won't hold back against you."
That's exactly what Akane was looking for.
It didn't take long for the pair to find a secluded spot under a bridge for them to duke it out. There was a beautiful stream to the side as well. It looked like a nice place to chill out, but that wasn't why they were here tonight.
Naruto made sure to set his bag away from where the action was going to take place. The last thing he wanted was for Kurama to get caught in the crossfire.
Akane was nice enough to wait for him to do that. She knew just how much she cared about the little fox. She cared too, even if only a little. But after he did, the glove was off. She went charging for him without a word, just wanting to get the fight started already.
Naruto's eyebrow rose as he dodged the girl's first punch.
'She's…..'
Akane was faster than before. Not by much, but enough for it to be noticeable. Was it because of her constant training with him and Nekomaru over the last couple of days? But for her to already be showing signs of growth….
No wonder she was an Ultimate.
Unaware of his thoughts, Akane came back around with a back fist, just as fast as her initial strike.
Naruto dodged this too, easily side-stepping for a second time. He didn't bother to wait for a second counter-strike from the girl, and so he delivered a swift but powerful low spinning sweep kick that had Akane falling to the ground on her back.
The gymnast had to process what had just happened for a moment before growling. She got back up and rushed for Naruto again.
The blond hadn't been expecting anything else from her by this point.
The two became blurs as they continued to trade blows with one another. If anyone was nearby, all they would hear is the exchange of fists and kicks.
From Akane's perspective, she immediately saw the difference in Naruto's moves from their initial fight in the camping trip. He was no longer as reserved with his attacks as before. If asked before this fight, Akane would have categorized Naruto as a responsive fighter. Now, he was more of an offensive fighter. Or maybe it was more like he was a mixture of both?
It was clear why Naruto would change his attack pattern, if you knew that his Frog Kata based taijutsu was linked to Sage Mode. Frog Kata was a clear and precise defense-and-attack style. This worked perfectly with the enhanced senses that Sage Mode provided you with. Problem is, Naruto no longer had those enhanced senses. Sure, his natural reaction time was still there, but it was nothing compared to what Sage Mode provided him with. That's why Naruto no longer preferred to stay on the defensive and wait to react to his opponent's moves. That was too risky in his mind.
In this world, there were many different styles of fighting. Naruto wasn't content with just specializing in one, though. That would be too simple for his tastes. That's why he and Nekomaru were working on incorporating different techniques from different branches of martial arts into his new fighting style. It wouldn't be a singular style, but more like a jack-of-all-trades. Naruto felt this worked best for him.
That's why, unlike last time, Akane found herself on the receiving end of several strikes that had her winded and panting heavily.
Naruto meant what he said earlier. He wasn't going to go easy on her.
"You….." She held her stomach, wincing as more pain spread throughout her body. She had witnessed Naruto and Nekomaru training for the past couple of days, but being on the receiving end of Naruto's hits was something else entirely.
"You're not as durable as Nekomaru," Naruto noted once again, calm and untouched. Akane hadn't managed to deal a single him to him thus far. "You're still slower than him too."
Naruto had tanked several of Nekomaru's hits. Not because he had wanted to, but because the guy had managed to catch him off guard on several occasions. Mostly because Naruto had been surprised by how much damage the team manager could take. It was impressive.
Akane gritted her teeth, frustrated. She didn't need to hear this.
"Shut up! I'm just….getting….star….."
The rest of her statement went unsaid as her vision began to blur, and she lost her balance.
Not good.
Naruto saw this and was next to her in an instant, catching her before she could hit the ground.
"Woah there. We can't have you passing out in public like this."
It wouldn't be good for her health.
"S-Shut up." Akane wanted to punch him so badly, but she no longer had any strength left. "Just because you're stronger….."
Naruto sighed. "It's not about that. You went and fought Nekomaru, and probably only stopped after he pounded you to the ground. And then you went straight to challenging me. I don't care how good you think you are. That's just insane."
What did she think was going to happen?
"Come on, I'll help you back to your dorm-"
"I don't need you to!"
Naruto stopped. There was something else in Akane's voice just now. Something akin to fear.
But what could she be afraid of? That just didn't make sense.
Akane pushed him away, or at least tried to. But Naruto held her firmly.
"I'm not weak. I don't need your help."
Is that what this was about?
Naruto looked at her. "Do you think you're weak, Akane?"
"I'm not." Akane shot him a glare. "I'll never be again. So let me go already."
Hmm. There was more to this, wasn't there?
"Is that why you keep challenging me and Nekomaru? Because you don't want to look weak?"
If so, that was stupid.
Akane looked away. "I don't want to talk about it."
Why was everyone always so difficult? It wasn't hard being honest!
...okay, it was. But Naruto wasn't one to give up easily. Or at all.
"You know you can-"
"Talking would just make me feel weak again." There was no brashness this time. No, Akane's voice was soft. Softer than any other time Naruto had heard it. It caught him off guard honestly. "I can't be weak. I can't be afraid. I just can't."
This girl. She really was simple minded, wasn't she?
"H-Hey, what are you doing!?"
Despite her protests, Naruto sat Akane on the ground next to him, the two facing the stream.
She glared at him. "You're lucky I can't move right now."
Indeed. But that was her fault, not his.
"You know fear and weakness don't coincide, right?" Naruto said, catching her attention. "Heck, you do know that everyone feels weak at some point, right? I can tell you that I have."
"That's not the point."
Then what was the point?
Akane didn't budge from her position, though. She wasn't going to say anymore.
It was Naruto's turn to glare at her. "Talk. Or I'll make sure Teruteru never cooks for you again."
The threat made all the color leave Akane's face. "You would never-"
"Are you willing to risk it?"
She wasn't.
"T'ch." She looked away from him. "I have people counting on me to help them."
"Your siblings."
She already talked about them before.
"Yeah. It wasn't much, but I did what I could do to earn money to help. My parents don't work, so as the oldest it's only natural that I would. I even sold my used panties to this one noisy pig."
Okay, what?
"Seriously, where are you from?"
"From a trashy place where crappy people come together. It isn't surprising to see a dead boy next to the trash where I'm from." Akane didn't sound all that bothered by this at all. She must have been desensitized after being exposed to that environment for so long.
"That's the only reason I came to this school," she added. "For the success. That's what they say anyway."
Naruto could see that. That was basically one of Hope's Peak Academy's best selling points. If you managed to graduate, you were set for life.
But he was beginning to understand now.
"So that's why you think you have to be strong all the time? For your siblings?"
And for herself? Akane had already pretty much confessed to seeing death before. In face of stuff like that, "being strong" was probably one of her coping mechanisms.
"Huh? Isn't that obvious?" Akane sounded really annoyed. She wasn't happy talking about this. Not at all. It brought feelings she'd rather just suppressed. "There is no point in being weak. If you're weak, nothing will happen. Nothing will change. That's why I'll never be weak. I'll never be afraid. You got that?"
There it was. She was finally open with her feelings.
"You really are simple minded."
"Urk!" Akane was forced to look at the blond, now angry. "W-What did you just say!?"
"You heard me." Naruto wasn't afraid to repeat himself. "You honestly think running away from your feelings makes you weak? It's the opposite. You're not strong for it. It just makes you no better than a child."
"W-Why you!" Akane began to squirm, no doubt trying to force herself to move so that she could hit him. "What makes you think you can understand, huh? Don't talk about stuff you know nothing about!"
It was really surprising, to see this side of Akane. She was usually only going on about food or fighting, but beneath all that was an insecure girl.
Talk about a one-eighty.
Naruto didn't mind, though.
"Everyone feels scared, Akane. Everyone feels weakness at one point or another." Naruto repeated himself, because it was the truth. His eyes hardened, and it was enough to make Akane freeze. "You're not lower than anyone else because you feel these emotions. It just makes you human. You're allowed to. You might be tough and fast, but you're also a person with emotions. Running from them won't make you strong. It's only when you face your fears that you're able to overcome them. Accept them and learn to live with them. That's what real strength is all about."
Akane went silent, and Naruto didn't know if the girl would start yelling at him again or what. But instead, she lowered her head.
"I really don't like you right now," she said, speaking softly again. "You're making me feel weak. I was always strong when I was alone."
Naruto didn't interrupt her.
"But you're also…..warm," she added, sounding embarrassed to admit that. "And bright. And your scent…..it's like that of the sun."
Bigger surprise. Naruto had no idea Akane was capable of saying something like that. This girl had many surprises to her, didn't she?
"Well, I don't know about smelling like the sun, but it's true that I have two suns that have supported me for all my life."
His parents. It was just like Bee had told the Raikage. Maybe that's what Akane was trying to get across as well.
Naruto smiled. "Like I said before, you're not alone anymore, Akane. We can all help you. It won't make you weak. You'll be stronger."
That's what bonds were all about, after all.
"T-Then…..." In another surprising move, Akane engulfed him in a hug, her arms shaking. It was almost like this was the first time she was hugging someone. "I-I'll make sure to hold you to that."
Naruto began to blush a bit, but he hugged her back.
"No worries. I'll make sure to keep it."
He always followed through with his promises.
"But if you tell anyone about this, I'll break your spine."
Even though Naruto knew he was stronger than her, the threat still left him turning whiter than snow.
"Y-Yeah, um. It'll be our secret. Ahahaha…..."
No way he was risking it. Better for him to just enjoy the hug and keep quiet.
And so, it was like that that the girl known as Owari Akane let her defenses down and became "weak." It was something she hadn't done in a very long time. Years even.
But it was fine. Because she learned it was okay to feel this way.
Flags. Flags everywhere. Who shall win? Only I know….
On a serious note, we are finally almost at the end of this arc. Two more chapters remain. Yeah, I know I said that last time. But these last two chapters really snuck up on me. But seriously, I have no idea how I thought I could fit all of this in only two chapters. I must have been going crazy.
I think I already addressed this before, but if you guys want me to include the V3 class, then just ask. If there's enough support, I'll include them.
Eventually.
But I think that's all for me today.
Till next time.
