Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Danganronpa.
AN: These next two chapters are essentially the second milestone for this story. Let's see how they go.
Enjoy.
Chapter 33:
Ultimate Bonds Part I
"Wait, wait. What did you just say? I think my ears must not be working or something. Where did that even come from?"
Naruto was only just at the beginning, and Kazuichi was already confused. For once, though, none of the others could fault him for it.
They were confused too.
"Y-Yeah. Um." Teruteru was at a loss for words. "I don't understand what that means, Uzumaki-kun."
He wasn't from this world? What were they supposed to make out of that statement?
Mikan poked her fingers together. "I thought this was about your arm….."
She said that, but like with everyone else she was still trying to decipher what Naruto had just said.
The others all wore varying confused expressions. Or in Nagito's case, just a serene silence.
As for the blond, he had to hold back a groan.
"Alright, I'm not the best when it comes to this kind of thing, okay? I don't know where else to start. And like I said, my arm is the least important detail here."
It was only an injury. Nothing more than that. He could tell them all about his mission at the end.
"You say that, but it's not so easy for the rest of us since we're out of the loop," Nekomaru reasoned.
"I'll get to it. It's just minor compared to what I'm trying to say."
Fuyuhiko sighed. "I already feel like this is going to be a headache."
Good, cause Naruto felt the same way too.
Thankfully, it was Chiaki who came to the rescue. Which Naruto badly needed.
"I understand everyone's confusion, but don't you think it will be better if we let Uzumaki-kun explain himself? We can hold all our questions until then."
Easier said than done.
Kazuichi wanted to interject again, but Mahiru cut him off.
"Settle down, Soda. We have the same questions as you. We can be a little patient."
Even though she said this, Mahiru knew it wasn't so simple. For one thing, Naruto still looked hesitant. Afraid.
This was very surprising.
It was enough to make Gundham scoff. "H'mph, stop wasting our time with idle chatter, mortal. I won't allow any pointless talk."
He didn't say it outright, but he was getting uncomfortable with seeing Naruto act like this. Beyond that, it was just frustrating.
Naruto looked down at his lap. Some point after he sat down Kurama had come to lie on his lap. The fact that he hadn't noticed showed just how off his mind was right now.
Still, it was almost therapeutic, stroking the fox's fur. It was still as soft as ever.
Well. He had already taken the first step. No looking back now.
"It's not easy to explain. There's still a lot of stuff I don't know, or understand."
That was never a good sign.
"Like I said, I'm not from this world. I wasn't born here."
"Yeah, and that's what I don't get." Kazuichi crossed his arms. He couldn't help but voice his objection. "You mean you weren't born in Japan?"
If so, that wasn't a big deal.
"I'm not talking about Japan, Kazuichi. I mean this world. Literally. I'm not from here. I'm from a different dimension."
That was the simplest explanation.
"A different dimension?" Kazuichi was having a hard processing such a statement. And he wasn't alone.
Nagito pursed his lips. For once, he didn't have much to say. This was certainly not what he had imagined this was about. He would be lying if he said he understood where this conversation was going.
"I think we need a more concrete explanation," Mahiru said after a short silence. She still wasn't holding any judgement.
For now.
Naruto could do that. Or the best he could anyway.
"Well. There's this place called the Elemental Nations. And ninjas are everywhere."
Tengan liked to believe he was an understanding person. Or at least that he was able to take many different viewpoints before deciding a course of action for himself.
He felt like this aspect of his character was being tested more and more as of late. Not surprising really. Hope's Peak Academy had been going through a rapid change in the past several years, most of which he wasn't all that thrilled about.
Perhaps that's why he was here now. Perhaps that's also why he had taken such an interest in Naruto.
Just perhaps.
"Construction is right on schedule. There is no shortage on manpower and we have more than enough funding, as I've outlined. All this information has already been made public. There was no reason for you to come out here, Tengan-san."
It was late at night, but the only light in the office came from a dim desk lamp. The former headmaster to Hope's Peak sat opposite to a very rising figure in the past couple of years. Tengan was of course referring to Munakata Kyosuke, a graduate of Hope's Peak Academy. He had been the Ultimate Student Council President during his time at the school.
Now? He was much more than that. In many ways, Tengan wouldn't be wrong in saying that the young man now led his own faction which opposed Jin and the board of trustees.
It was another one of those "changes" Tengan had mentioned before. At his old age, he shouldn't be dealing with stuff like this.
It was just a headache.
The former headmaster didn't respond immediately, rather taking his time as he enjoyed the drink that had been served. Scotch, was it? Not bad. Tengan felt a bit spoiled.
"I just wanted to see your project with my own eyes, Munakata-kun. I'm at that age where I'm allowed certain…..distractions."
It was Munakata's turn to go silent for a moment. Truth be told, he had been a bit wary about this meeting. His project was directly tied to Hope's Peak Academy, of course, but it was more than that. In simple terms, he and the board of trustees were not on the same side. The problem was that he had no idea where Tengan stood in all of this.
Just how much did the old man know?
Seeing Munakata retreat to his thoughts, Tengan continued.
"There are many that are hesitant of what you're doing, Munakata-kun. I'm sure you're aware of what I'm talking about." Munakata was. "After all, we were facing quite the financial burden not too long ago. An expansion at this point is just-"
"Is that your true purpose for coming here then?" Munakata remained seated, but his body was tense. Tengan had been at the construction site for a couple of weeks now, and although he hadn't done anything but observe Munakata was still on edge. This was the first time he had asked for a talk like this, though. One-on-one and private.
"Are you trying to dissuade me from continuing with the construction?"
Because, quite frankly, that would just be ludicrous. In the first place, Munakata knew that Hope's Peak Academy had been facing a funding issue. There just weren't enough investors to upkeep the school. That's why the Reserve Department had been created. To Munakata, this was yet another sign that Hope's Peak Academy was failing.
Secondly, he had his own funding with his own backers. He had worked hard to secure all the resources he would need to make his dream a reality without outside interference. That's part of the reason why the board of trustees couldn't directly oppose him or what he was trying to do. Even if they didn't give their "blessing," Munakata could just continue with his plans. And then, they would have a bigger problem on their hands.
A rival institution, one they had no say in.
Munakata was taking a gamble himself. Choosing to align himself with the very group he was trying to destroy was risky indeed. Not only that, but he was fully aware of what the board of trustees were hoping to accomplish with their "blessing." And that was to eventually influence his new school. It was all the more reason to "endorse" his project.
It was a risk Munakata was willing to take, all for the school he held so dear.
And Tengan was one of the biggest unknowns in all of this. Munakata respected the man, sure, but that was it. He didn't need his support, and truth be told he didn't much want it. Why? Because, in some ways, Munakata saw him as part of the system that had ruined Hope's Peak Academy in the first place. Not solely to blame of course, but still culpable.
This still left Munakata with one big question.
Which side was Tengan on?
Stroking his beard, Tengan didn't seem bothered by Munakata's question.
"I'm not here to try and stop you, I assure you. You have nothing to fear from me. I believe I've told you this before, but I do think your plans are admirable. Expanding Hope's Peak Academy is a noble goal, despite what some of my colleagues might think. Although I must admit your stance to oppose Kirigiri-kun is an…..interesting one. You two have more in common than you might realize."
Munakata wasn't moved. "Is that what you wanted to say?"
Hmm. He wasn't budging, huh. Tengan feared as much. Through optimistic lenses, Munakata was determined. Put negatively, he was stubborn. Basically, once he made up his mind about something, trying to dissuade him from his decision was impossible.
Knowing when a fight was pointless, Tengan switched topics.
"I haven't seen Yukizome-kun recently. Has she already left?"
Munakata accepted the change in topic. "Not yet. She's still getting ready, but she'll be departing in a few days. Because of this, she's been far too busy to continue with her duties around here."
So the decision was final, huh. Jin accepted her application.
"Good news, I'm sure."
"It's only natural," Munakata replied. "Hope's Peak Academy is short on staff, given how big the class was this year. Since we're all on the same side, I have no problem with Yukizome lending her skills to the school."
How coy of him.
"Ah, yes." Tengan chuckled as he picked up his glass. "She'll mostly likely be assigned to class 77-B. She's a talented one, but she might find her hands full."
There was the tiniest hint of Munakata's eyebrow rising, but Tengan didn't miss it.
"Meaning?"
Got him.
"This class is a bit different from the norm. It might even be a sign that there is a change coming to Hope's Peak Academy. And soon."
Munakata didn't answer, mostly because he didn't know what to say. Hearing Tengan saying something like that…..just what was he supposed to make of it?
The old man was never quick to support any one group. It was one of those qualities Munakata respected in him. He always made sure to have all the information before doing anything. But this…..this was different.
"What…..does that mean?"
Munakata had never sounded more confused in his life.
"I'm looking forward to a change myself, Munakata-kun." Tengan on the other hand looked pleased. "Only it might come from a place no one expects."
There were so many ways Munakata could take this that he didn't know where to begin. But perhaps the most prudent place to start was with Tengan's obvious message.
"Is that why you came here then? To try and warn me?"
Munakata wasn't blind. He was sure the headmaster already knew what he was trying to do with sending Yukizome to work for the school, just as Tengan knew.
In the bluntest of ways: to expand his faction.
"In a way," Tengan answered after a moment. "But perhaps it isn't the warning you're thinking of."
This only left Munakata more confused.
And Tengan? Well, he continued to enjoy his scotch.
It was really good.
"And when we were finally fighting this Madara bastard guy, this Black Zetsu guy suddenly stabbed him in the back! Like, stabbed him with his arm! Probably had chakra around it. But when he did, Madara just went whoop! Like blew up! Like a pufferfish. It was weird. But that's when the explosion happened. I think Sasuke and I got caught in it. Not sure about Sakura-chan and Kakashi-sensei, but yeah. That's how I ended up here. I ended up in the Tokyo National Museum, and I was arrested even though I didn't do anything wrong. I'm still a little bit angry about that. Then the headmaster and the old man scouted me to Hope's Peak Academy. And now we're here." Naruto finished lamely. "And that's pretty much it."
It had been quite the story to tell, but quite a bit more to hear it.
The expressions among the Ultimates varied.
Teruteru, Kazuichi, and Ibuki stared in silent shock. Mahiru and Hiyoko looked on in disbelief. Gundham was more understanding, which probably wasn't a good sign. Nekomaru, Akane, and Sonia wore confused expressions. Mikan looked confused too, as she tilted her head. Fuyuhiko looked somewhat annoyed. Ryota and Chiaki sat in silence, but similar to Gundham seemed understanding too. And finally, Peko and Nagito had stoic faces, which made it hard to tell what they were thinking.
Naruto took all of this in as he continued to stroke Kurama's fur. He could wait until they were ready to talk.
After a minute of silence, he decided he waited enough.
"So. Any questions?"
It was Kazuichi who took him on the offer, raising his hand.
"Yeah. Um, I got one. Are you retarded?"
Naruto's eye twitched. "You say what now?"
"I mean, come on! Who's gonna believe that!" The mechanic looked at the others. "I'm not alone in this, right!?"
Probably not.
"This is some crazy shit," Fuyuhiko said. "And not just because we're suddenly agreeing with Soda a lot today."
"Hey!"
No need for insults.
"It is, um. How do you put it?" Mahiru tried to think of the best word to choose. "Unbelievable?"
"Ibuki doesn't understand!" At least she was honest. "Is Naruto-chan an alien?"
Why would she….
"Pfft." Hiyoko stifled her laughter. "So you have stupid fantasies like the breeder over there? Is that what this is about?"
Gundham didn't react to her mocking.
Naruto would have flicked her if he was close enough.
"Really? That's all you got to say?"
"It's crazy, you have to admit," Chiaki said. "It's like the story from a video game."
Ah, of course. Video games. Leave it to the Ultimate Gamer to make that connection.
"And what's this about a world of ninjas?" Kazuichi scowled. "It's definitely crazy!"
Naruto huffed. "Not so crazy to me, since I come from there."
"Um." Mikan fiddled with her skirt. "I-I want to believe you, Naruto-san."
Yay.
Sonia tilted her head. "I feel the same way, but a world of ninjas. And chakra, was it? It does sound unbelievable."
That was basically the sentiment among the Ultimates, when it came down to it. An unbelievable story like that was just so bizarre. How were they supposed to accept it so easily?
They definitely wanted to believe it, but that was easier said than done. It was especially true for Ryota and Nagito. Ryota who had probably been the most anxious to hear what Naruto wanted to share was now stumped. And Nagito, whose mind was struggling to accept this for a multitude of reasons.
Naruto couldn't be lying….right? No. An Ultimate would never lie like this. Nagito refused to believe it. But a fantastical story like that….
The whiskered blond took another moment to study his friends. He had been expecting this, honestly. How could he not? This world was much different from his. Stuff that he considered "normal" was anything but in this world. Not that everything normal here was normal to him either, but that was beside the point.
What could he do? He had anticipated this, but it still hurt. To have them doubt him was just…..painful.
'No.' It was hard, but Naruto held back a frown. A new wave of determination washed over him. 'I can't give up that easily.'
There had to be a way to help them understand. What he wanted to convey, in a way where there was no room for doubt. Where they could see that he wasn't lying.
Yeah, but was there such a way? Words could be deceiving. Just because he wanted them to believe it didn't mean they were going to. It was never so simple. Reaching that sort of understanding with one another….
'Wait. Isn't that….'
It was weird. Naruto didn't know what it was. Maybe it was just a sudden flash of inspiration. He didn't know. He just knew that an idea popped into his head.
Would it work?
Only one way to find out.
"Let's hold hands."
His words were met with more confusion.
"Hold hands?" Peko raised an eyebrow. "What are you-?"
"Just trust me." Grinning, Naruto didn't hesitate to grab Mikan's and Nagito's. The nurse almost squeaked while Nagito was a bit stunned.
As far as he could remember, this was the first time he was holding hands with someone else. It felt….nice. Warm even. But he was always feeling that way when he was around Naruto.
Fuyuhiko clicked his teeth together but did as asked. "Whatever, let's just get this over with."
There wasn't more hesitation. The sixteen Ultimates all locked hands with one another.
"Close your eyes," Naruto told them. "Take deep breaths and focus."
It was definitely weird, what he was asking of them. What did this have to do with what he was telling them? Why were they doing this?
They still followed his guidance. It was easier for some than others. Akane especially was having a hard time staying still, but she tried her hardest. She didn't know why she was, just that she wanted to.
It definitely took a few minutes, but at this very moment the sixteen Ultimates were in perfect sync. Even their breathing started to match. Something like this wouldn't have been possible without all the time they had spent together.
To Naruto, it was just another sign of the powerful bond that existed between them. He wasn't going to let it go to waste.
But that wasn't the important part. For you see, the one who was focusing the most was Naruto. He was trying to do something he had failed to achieve many times since arriving in this new world.
Using his chakra.
Except it wasn't in the conventional sense. He wasn't trying to use ninjutsu like in his original world. That's why he had failed before. His chakra wasn't the same as before, after all. It was only thanks to talking to Hagoromo again that Naruto finally realized how he could utilize his chakra.
It was still a new experience for him, and it was a gamble. There was no guarantee that something like this was going to work, especially since none of the others had chakra of their own.
Naruto still tried, though. He tried his hardest, because he wanted nothing more than for his true feelings to reach his friends. For there to be no doubt about what he was saying.
It almost felt hopeless, but at last Naruto felt something. It was a familiar feeling, but at the same time it wasn't. Was it his chakra?
There was no way for him to be sure. He still focused on that and combined it with his desire. At the same time, he shot it out from his body as strongly as he could. He had no way of knowing if it was going to work or not, but damn it he was going to give it his best shot.
The others, however, they felt it. A warm sensation started to spread throughout the bodies. It was a familiar feeling to them. They had felt it many times when they were around Naruto. That warm comforting feeling. Almost subconsciously, they were drawn to it.
Only now it was much more powerful than before, because Naruto was focusing on it.
"What….what is this?" Nagito broke the silence. He felt something warm trickling down his cheek. It took him a second to realize that he was crying.
One by one the Ultimates started to open their eyes again. They noticed Nagito's tears, and only then did some of them realize that they were crying too.
"This feels….incredible," Teruteru gushed.
"Such a feeling." Nekomaru's tears from before paled to how much he was crying now. "What is this?"
"It's my chakra." Smiling, Naruto was the last one to open his eyes. He locked gazes with the others. "It's different from before. I can only do this much with it, but it's powerful in its own way."
"Chakra." Sonia couldn't believe it. "It's beautiful…."
It was almost like she was being bathed in the sun's powerful rays.
Naruto was glad. "This is called Ninshū. It's a very old teaching in my world. It's supposed to reveal what's inside someone's heart and help people understand one another. It's the only way I can think of showing you guys that I'm not lying to you."
If only he realized how effective it was. Every single one of the Ultimates could practically feel the emotions flowing from their blond friend. There was no ounce of deceit or negative emotions.
He was truly sincere.
Nagito started to laugh as more tears rolled down his cheeks. He looked the happiest anyone had ever seen him before.
"Ahahaha! Amazing! Incredible! So this is it! So this is what I've been searching for so long! This is the ultimate hope! This is what it feels like!"
It wasn't just because they got used to Nagito's weird way of talking that the others didn't react negatively to this. No.
It was because, for the first time, it was like they were finally understanding what Nagito was saying. Because at that moment, they started to feel the same way.
This was hope.
Mikan tried to hold back her tears but was in no way successful. She could almost become addicted with this sensation.
No, she probably already was. Isn't that why she wanted to be around Naruto all the time?
"I finally understand."
Naruto's smile widened.
Another step had been taken. It was far more direct than the ones before, but now the students off 77-B had grown ever closer.
People often said the truth was better than a lie. While that may be true, it didn't change the fact that sometimes the truth was a hard pill to swallow.
The students of the class 77-B were learning that lesson firsthand.
They all accepted the fact that everything Naruto told was the truth. Now, it was a matter of what to make of that information.
Basically, the hard part was now beginning.
It's why, after everything had been said, they had stood up and scattered around the suite. Naruto himself had vacated to the suite's bedroom, because it had a balcony right outside. He needed to feel the night air right now, to try and calm himself down. He also wanted to give his friends the space they needed.
He wasn't going to make this harder on them than it already was.
But it wasn't hard for everyone. No.
Nagito already knew what had to be done.
"We can't just leave Uzumaki-kun alone." He was trying to make the others act. "Hesitating like this, it isn't like you guys at all. It's not what symbols of hope like you should be doing!"
"Seriously, gross." Right now, Hiyoko had no patience for Nagito. "I don't know if you can't read the room or what, but this is seriously weird!"
Maybe "weird" wasn't the right word, but Hiyoko didn't know what else to say.
"Urgh." Nekomaru clenched his fist. "I do not enjoy feeling this way. It's like when I have to shit."
Not the time for that kind of talk, but they still understood the sentiment Nekomaru was trying to get across.
He didn't like feeling indecisive. None of them did.
"I think it's totally awesome!" Ibuki was chirpy. "Naruto-chan is still the same. So who cares about the little stuff!"
"Mhmm, he's definitely a fine specimen." Teruteru combed his hair. "Finer than I could have anticipated."
He definitely kept things interesting, that's for sure.
"T'ch, weird bastard." Fuyuhiko sighed. "I knew becoming friends with that guy was going to lead to some real headaches down the road."
Chiaki hummed. "It's definitely not something you would expect." She then smiled. "But I think Mioda-san is correct. Uzumaki-kun is still our friend, right? What else matters?"
"You seriously think we can just sweep it under the rug like that?" Kazuichi argued. "I mean, what else could he be hiding?"
"Soda, you felt his emotions just now, didn't you?" Peko was having as hard a time with all this new information, just like the others. However, there was one thing she was certain of. "Regardless of what you decide to make of this, you can be positive of Naruto's intentions. He was not lying to us."
He told them everything. Of that, there was no doubt.
"H'mph, words can certainly lie," Gundham said. "But emotions are a different beast. That human was sincere."
And he rarely said that about anyone.
Kazuichi looked away. Yeah, that was wrong of him to say just now. He knew that. His mind was just a mess right now.
"Sorry." The mechanic still apologized.
"This is so annoying." Akane looked frustrated. "Who cares about all that? Seriously. Let's just move on."
Mahiru's face was troubled. "It should be that simple, right?"
Right?
Like Peko and Gundham said, Naruto wasn't lying to them. So they should just accept it and move on. The little details didn't matter.
Fuyuhiko studied everyone's faces. Naruto had been honest with them. They all appreciated it. The problem lied in accepting it. That he was something more than just the Uzumaki Naruto they had come to know. Ibuki said he was still the same idiot as before, and while that was true it didn't change the fact that there was a side of him they hadn't known about.
Until tonight.
'That fool.'
Telling them about such a secret….it made Fuyuhiko feel all the more weak about the one he was keeping.
'No.'
Fuyuhiko wasn't going to be that weak anymore. He had stumbled for far too long. What kind of person would he be, no, what kind of yakuza was he if he couldn't follow in Naruto's footsteps?
If he wanted to become the kind of clan leader he aspired to be, he couldn't keep running away.
He was done with keeping things back.
The Ultimate Yakuza wasn't that weak.
"Uzumaki is not the only one with secrets." Crossing his arms, Fuyuhiko scowled. "I've been keeping stuff from you guys too. That Peko and I know each other."
He just came out and said it!
Peko's eyes widened at the admission while Kazuichi's face was blank.
"Dude. We know you know her. We all know her!"
This idiot.
"That's not what I meant, you goddamn fool. I've known her way longer. Before coming to this school. We've basically been together since we were born."
Alright, well. That cleared some things up.
Not.
"Young master." Peko almost stuttered. She never would have imagined Fuyuhiko doing something like this, and out of nowhere!
"What the-?" Hiyoko grabbed her head and groaned. "Seriously? You guys too? What the heck? Don't make me bop you on the head! Cuz I'll do it!"
"Oh my." Nagito smiled. "Kuzuryu-kun, you're shining brightly right now."
This bastard. Why did he accept it so easily?
"No, but like. Did she call you master just now?" Still worrying about the important part, Kazuichi.
Fuyuhiko scowled again. "T'ch, I can fill you in on the details later. Point is, I understand what Uzumaki went through just now. I never would have been to speak about this to you guys under normal circumstances. I wanted to, but…."
It was hard.
"Kuzuryu-kun." Chiaki was touched. "Thank you for telling us."
"Awwww!" Popping up behind the yakuza, Ibuki started to pinch his cheeks. "Mahiru-chan was right! You totally love us!"
"B-Back off, you bitch!"
Fuyuhiko's flustered face was a good way for some of the tension to leave the room. It made them feel like things were definitely still the same as always.
But this second confession from Fuyuhiko had the opposite effect on a certain someone. Namely Ryota who looked down. It was like he was being slapped in the ! First by Naruto, and now by Fuyuhiko.
'They're different from me.'
They had the courage to trust in others while he was still too afraid to take that leap.
Why was he like this? Why couldn't he let go? Was he just unable to follow in their footsteps?
'Uzumaki-san and Kuzuryu-san trust them….they trust me.'
He had never been shown that kindness before. Because, normally, it wouldn't be the real him. But just the disguise. The imposter.
But Naruto's words still echoed in his mind. The blond had trust in him. Not in Mitarai Ryota, but in him.
Was Ryota going to continue to betray that trust?
The answer was obvious.
"Yes, they're absolutely right." Ryota's voice caught the attention of the others. Why? Because it was different. Very different. "Uzumaki trusts us, and I trust you as well. My classmates and friends."
"Wait, what?"
As always, Kazuichi eloquently expressed the confusion everyone was feeling at that moment. It only grew when Ryota quite literally ripped his face off, revealing it to just be a mask.
"That's why I'm going to move forward as well."
The reaction was quick.
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!?" Kazuichi shouted at the top of his lungs.
Where Ryota had once stood was now someone else with an entirely different face. He still had the same heavy build, but he now had long, black hair and green eyes.
"I am the Ultimate Imposter. I've been using Mitarai's face for a while now, deceiving you all. And for that, I am sorry."
"W-Wait. Hold on." Mahiru was struggling to keep up with all of this. And who could fault her? "J-Just. Give me a moment. I need to process everything that's just happened."
Mikan was already passed out from the mental exhaustion.
Just how many secrets were there!? It was one after the other!
And Nagito was all for this.
Indeed, they were getting closer. The Ultimates were shining so brightly! More brightly than he had ever seen before.
Nagito almost fell into tears again.
'Ah, I'm so lucky.'
What a marvelous night this turned out to be.
"The nights in this country can be quite peaceful, eh, Kurama? Too bad you can't see that many stars. Must be all the lights."
Naruto smiled as the little fox licked his cheek. The gesture was always comforting, and now he needed it more than ever.
He didn't feel any regrets. He had kept his word and did the best he could. Now it was only a matter of having hope that his bonds with the others were strong enough. That they wouldn't think any different of him after this.
Yes, he could only hope.
"Naruto?"
"HOLY SHI-!"
Naruto almost fell off the balcony when he heard Sonia's voice right behind him.
When the heck did she get out here with him!?
'I can't believe I was that distracted!'
Sonia had to smile at his reaction.
"You are still so crass. You should work on that. Your public image would suffer!"
His public image? Pfft, who needed that!
"What are you doing here, Sonia?" Naruto wasn't in the mood to joke around. Not that he didn't want to, but because he was afraid of why the girl was here.
And he honestly hated himself for feeling that way. It was like he didn't trust her at all, and that was the last thing he wanted.
Sonia picked up in his mood. She might not be great with social cues, but she was still intuitive enough to understand that Naruto was not his usual self. But that's why she was here. Why she had snuck away while the others had been talking.
"You left just like that, when this was supposed to be your party. Are you okay?"
Naruto scratched his head. Was he okay? Normally, that would have been easy to answer. But right now…..
"Yeah, I'm alright. Sorry about all this. I kinda made a mess of things, didn't I?"
"I'm not asking for an apology, Naruto." She didn't really think about it. She just grabbed his hands with her own. Naruto didn't say anything, just raised one of his eyebrows. She continued. "You suddenly left on a mission, and now that you're finally back it feels like we might lose you again."
What?
"What are you talking about, Sonia?"
Sonia's eyes shifted to the side. The worry was evident on her face.
"That story you told us. About your homeland. Did you….did you tell us because you are going away?"
Is that how she had interpreted it?
Naruto would have laughed if the situation was different.
"No. I'm not going back, Sonia. I have no way of returning."
He hadn't told them that part, had he? Damn his clumsiness.
His answer made Sonia look directly at him. Her eyes were definitely piercing. He could see that the girl was searching for something in him. But what could that be?
"Then. Let me ask you this." Oh, she had more to say? "If…..if you could go back….would you?"
Alright, now that was certainly the quandary, wasn't it? And Naruto wasn't prepared to answer it. Not right away. He had to think about it for a few moments, and Sonia was more than happy to let him collect his thoughts.
Especially since she was scared to hear his response.
Finally, Naruto let out a heavy sigh.
He had an answer.
"It's not an easy thing to answer. Not now. Not after everything that's happened so far. But….I would. Not because I want to abandon you guys, but because of what I have to see through. Because of my friends who remained."
Some would say it was stupid thinking. To believe that anyone was still alive after the explosion that brought him here was beyond stupid and naive.
Naruto didn't care. He would have to see it with his own eyes before he just accepted that everyone he knew had died.
Sonia looked down. It was the answer she had feared to hear. But more than anyone else here, she probably understood his answer the best. It came down to responsibility, after all. And like her precious friend, she had an important responsibility of her own. Her kingdom. If it ever came up that she had to return, even if it meant leaving everyone behind…..she probably would. Not because she wanted to, but because she had to.
And it pained her.
"Things are never simple, are they? When I thought that maybe I had found it, I….."
Naruto frowned. He recalled her words, about the duty she had imposed on her. About wanting to escape the pressure that came with her title. She just wanted to feel normal, even if it was only for a little while.
Then he saw some drops falling.
Tear drops.
Sonia was crying.
And he was the cause of it.
Naruto silently cursed himself.
Not knowing what to say to her at that moment, Naruto could only hug her. He was returning the kind gesture she had given him. It was the least he could do, right?
Sonia appreciated it. It was more impactful than what any words could do right now. She was sure she couldn't really speak right now anyway.
It was through this act, of the two being in each other's arms, that they found comfort. The cast stuck out like a sore thumb, but Sonia put up with it for this special moment.
Without Sonia saying anything, Naruto understood that she didn't see him differently. Their bond was still there, and he couldn't be more grateful for it.
"I really don't want you to go."
Naruto had to smile. She sounded like a little kid, saying that. And even though she was still crying, he was sure she was pouting too.
"I get the feeling you're not told 'no' a lot, huh."
"I am willing to make a command."
"Even though you don't like it?"
"Yes."
How bold!
"But maybe there is another way."
Pulling back a little so that they could see the other's face, Naruto furrowed his brow. There was something else in the now puffy eyes of this princess.
"I don't think I understand-"
"If you had another responsibility here, one you could not ignore….then maybe, we..."
What? What kind of responsibility was she talking about?
Wait, what was happening right now? All of a sudden, Naruto felt like the mood had changed. There was something else in the air. He couldn't figure out what it was, only that Sonia's face was really close all of a sudden.
More specifically her lips.
She looked vulnerable, but also beautiful. It was a side to the girl that Naruto felt like only he had ever seen.
There was another development in the works, only this one was between the two of them.
I was going to originally have this as one chapter, but then I felt like splitting it up.
Because I'm a dick.
The quick update should make up for it.
Maybe.
I'm not sure if it was obvious, but I had some trouble writing Nagito in this chapter. His reaction to all of this was the trickiest one, but in the end I felt this was the most appropriate given the circumstances. I know some of you expected Hagoromo to show up, and I did briefly consider that option. However, I decided not to since it wouldn't feel as personal. That's why I felt like Ninshū was the best way to go. It just goes well with the theme of both Naruto and Danganronpa, in my opinion. It's why I didn't want Naruto to have his "chakra" in the conventional sense. I'm just a big fan of Ninshū as a concept if I'm honest.
If you disagree, I'm more than happy to read what you have to say.
That's all from me. What else is there to come?
Till next time.
