Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Danganronpa.
Chapter 45:
Butler Royale Part I
Despite it being early in the morning, the teacher's lounge on the fourth floor of Hope's Peak Academy was pretty quiet save for the light humming that was coming from the corner of the room. This humming belonged to none other than a smiling Chisa who swayed back and forth in her seat like a little kid on Christmas morning. There was no missing the glee that was written all over her face as she looked at the calendar on her desk. The reason for that was obvious. The calendar had the entirety of last week dotted with circles. This was a grand success in her eyes. These circles were marks to show full attendance, after all.
Ah, how wonderful! She still couldn't believe how attentive her new adorable students were! Already coming to class without her having to do anything about it. It really made her happy. Like she had said on her first day, she had been afraid that she was going to have to straighten them out and make them enjoy their youth a little more, but in the end there hadn't been any need for that. None of them were rotten oranges! She felt like she had crossed a major milestone in her career as a teacher. She might not be responsible for their explosion of youth, but that didn't stop her from feeling proud of them.
She had to once again ponder everything that she had learned about her class during her first week here. She had learned a lot, not just in regards to what kind of people her adorable students were but also the impact that they had been causing throughout the school. She had been hearing all about the gossip that was going on among the faculty in regards to her adorable students. They were seen as something of an anomaly among the student body, but overall the teachers seemed quite pleased with them. They were a talented bunch, and the ruckus they had caused so far hadn't negatively impacted the school in any way. It could even be said that in some cases they had strengthened the school's image instead, especially with that festival that they had organized. Many of the teachers had already told her how lucky she was to be their homeroom teacher, even if she was just an assistant. Not that Chisa saw it that way. Koichi might "officially" be retaining his position, but for all intents and purposes she was the main homeroom teacher now.
'Mhmm, I must have lucked out.'
Chisa had to hold back her giggles as she looked at the calendar again. She was acting like some sort of proud mother already even though she had only been with them for a week. Wasn't that embarrassing?
'Ah, if only Kyosuke was here.'
Then it would be perfect.
Chisa missed the man, but she also knew how important all of this was for his dream. And her dream now too. She would have to just endure their separation for now. Not that it was all bad either. She was certain that she would be having a ton of fun with her adorable kids as she carried out her true mission in the meantime.
"Well, well. What do we have here?"
Koichi's sudden appearance next to her caught Chisa off guard. She must have been too deep in her thoughts to notice the man coming in, to the point that she almost let out a small yelp when she finally noticed him.
Kind of embarrassing, but Chisa didn't dwell on it as she puffed out her chest in pride. She already knew what the man was curious about.
"It's nothing much. Just marks showing full attendance for the class. I plan to keep a record of it."
Koichi's face wore an amused expression when he heard this. "I don't think there's any need for that. Those kids already made a promise to meet up every day in that classroom. You can be sure they'll be honoring it."
Of that, there was little doubt.
Chisa already knew this, but still. "It makes me overjoyed to see solid proof of their bond, so I don't mind. Besides, it's good bragging rights among the other teachers!"
So that was her true motive, huh. Kind of twisted, but not in a bad sense. Koichi could see the young woman was highly motivated. Her reasons for accepting the job might be dubious, but her desire to be with the class seemed to be genuine.
How cute.
"Oh, that reminds me." Chisa hummed as another thought entered her mind. "It's a bit early, but I suppose it's about time we pick out the official class representative. Because of this school festival, it looks like other classes are thinking of doing the same. It'll help to coordinate with the student council moving forward."
The school festival, huh. What a shocker that was! Koichi had to once again admire the ingenuity of his class. Those kids just never stopped, did they? They were always on the move, always planning something new. Up till now, it was all about them having fun. But now, they were stepping up their game. To the point where they were now including the entire school in their plans.
It was amazing. Koichi never would have guessed that the school year would be progressing like this. It was turning out to be like none other. He had to wonder where those kids were going to take all of this, but that didn't exactly matter at the moment. Better to live in the present than to worry about the uncertain future and all that.
"I guess you have a lot on your plate, huh."
Not that Koichi thought that picking out the class representative would be difficult. Their class already had an obvious candidate for the position. He was sure that Chisa was already aware of this too.
Chisa turned to him with a smile, but it was a fake one. A fact that Chisa didn't bother to hide.
"Remind me who was the one that was supposed to be doing this originally? Hmm?"
Crap, she was calling him out. How mean.
"I-It's not my fault, you know." Clearing his throat, Koichi stepped back and placed a hand over his hat to try and seem more mysterious and dignified. "My job is far too important for me to ignore. I gotta keep scouting for the sake of the school. I'll have you know that I already have several candidates lined up for next year. There's this baseball all-star player, this swimming pro, and there are talks about a biker gang leader up north. I've also heard some vague rumors about this undefeated girl in the underground gambling scene, but nothing solid on that yet. Not that I'm planning on giving up so easily of course."
Chisa knew the man was just trying to make excuses, but if there was something she could respect about the lazy drunk it was his skill when it came to scouting out talent. It had only been a week since he had resumed his scouting duties, but he already had four different leads. There was no denying how invaluable his skills were to the school.
He was still not Chisa's favorite person, though. Especially not with the way he was always drinking. Chisa preferred her men to be a little more serious.
"I guess I should give you a little warning before I leave."
"Hm?" Despite herself, Chisa looked curious as Koichi leaned in closer to whisper to her.
"These kids can be a real handful. There's no telling where their heads are at. I already told you about that camping trip they took, right? They might take off running again, and that could lead to some serious problems for us both now that the headmaster is keeping a closer eye on them. We might even get demoted to Reserve Course teachers."
That's what he was worried about?
Smiling, Chisa said, "I can't believe you were their teacher for two months and not know this much about them, Kizakura-sensei. There's no way my kids would ever cause problems."
She was positive of that. After all, they were all good kids!
But as she said this, the phone on her desk rang off causing her to switch her attention from the drunk to it.
Picking it up, she happily answered, "Yes, hello? Yukizome speaking."
Right away on the other end she heard the sounds of a great commotion which immediately gave her pause. The noise from the commotion gave off a most distinct sound. It was almost as if two sharp objects were clashing against one another and violently so.
And was someone shouting in the background too?
What the-?
She wasn't able to dwell on it for too long, however, as the familiar voice of the P.E. teacher cried out from the other end.
"You gotta help me, Yukizome-sensei! I can't handle them! They're going to wreck the classroom!"
"What-!"
Chisa wasn't able to get another word in as the call went dead from the other end.
Oh no.
What the heck was happening in her classroom!?
"Kizakura-sensei, we have to-!"
She looked up, expecting to find the man still there and ready to help her deal with whatever was going on in the classroom. But she just twitched when she saw that the man was now long gone. Probably took off the moment he heard the commotion coming from the phone.
'That lazy drunk.'
He had a way of getting under her skin alright.
But no matter! She would deal with this herself! In a way, this was like her first challenge as a new teacher, and she would not fail.
Off to the classroom!
Several minutes earlier…
In classroom 1-B, there was a peaceful but somewhat peculiar scene playing out. The usual students were there of course. For the most part. Chiaki, Sonia, Mahiru, and Mikan seemed to be missing, oddly enough. Kazuichi and Peko weren't in the classroom yet either.
Hiyoko picked up on these details pretty quickly. Well, she didn't care all that much about the last two, but she had a distinct feeling that Sonia and Mikan were involved with Mahiru's tardiness. It was something that would have made her very curious were it not for the fact that she was currently in a glaring contest with a very annoying brat.
"So what we do have here? Do you have a death wish, pipsqueak? Is that why you decided to show yourself to me? I can make it happen."
"Hey!" Masaru wasn't standing for it as he glared right back at the Ultimate Traditional Dancer. "You're the same height as me, so I don't want to hear it!"
Hiyoko cracked her knuckles with a gleeful look. "Keep talking. I can rearrange that ugly face of yours, if that's what you want."
Masaru started to pale before he ran behind Monaca and her wheelchair for cover.
"I knew it, she's psycho!"
"You're partly to blame for this yourself," Nagisa muttered as he shook his head. There was no way he was going to intervene. He didn't have a death wish.
"Is there gonna be another fight?" Jataro asked. "If so, I don't think I could help Masaru. I'm not very strong."
"No one is expecting a weakling like you to jump in anyway, Jataro." Kotoko snickered at the mask-wearing boy. "Besides, it's not like we came here to start trouble. You better behave yourself, or I'll spank you myself."
Monaca agreed. "Kotoko's right, Masaru. You should behave yourself. It's only because of Naruto that we were able to get inside. We don't want to get him in trouble, right?"
"How's that my fault?" Masaru complained. "That guard had like a sixth sense or something!"
Nagisa sighed in annoyance. "Don't be stupid. It's because you and Kotoko started arguing again. You two were too loud. It's no wonder that guard was able to hear us."
"I take no responsibility for that," Kotoko said with a wide smile. "It's you guys who decided to tag along out of nowhere. I was the one who first decided to skip class to come hang out with Naruto-kun."
"Well, we sort of had a plan," Jataro explained. Or he tried to at least. He didn't really understand the whole situation. "But then Monaca said not to worry. I didn't know what she was talking about, but then we ran into you. Who would have thought that you were thinking the same thing as us. Is that even possible? Does that mean we all have mind reading abilities? No, wait. Is it more like telepathy? Or is that the same thing? I don't really get how mind powers work, but I don't think I would be included in that either way. Since I'm so useless. That means my brain is pretty useless too, huh."
Hiyoko looked disgusted as she sneered at Jataro. "What's with this brat? He's making me sick just by looking at him."
Jataro happily nodded. "I sort of have that effect on people, big sis! Sorry about that."
What? He was happy about that? Now Hiyoko didn't know what to think.
"Hehehe, so lovely." Ibuki winked as she stuck out her tongue. "It looks like Naruto-chan has decided to babysit for today. Isn't that adorable?"
Hiyoko didn't think so. "More like problematic." Her eyes went to her fellow blond, who was currently in the middle of a conversation with Byakuya, Fuyuhiko, and Nagito. The four boys had secluded themselves to the corner of the classroom again. It was almost like a war council of sorts. That's the kind of impression Hiyoko got as an outsider looking in. The only detail that sort of broke that serious atmosphere was Kurama who was happily perched on top of Naruto's head. She still remembered how excited the little fox had been when he and Naruto had reunited earlier. It had been so cute that she had almost passed out from it all. Not that Hiyoko would admit to such a thing.
"He left them with us, so he's not really babysitting. More like shifting the responsibility to us."
She would have to punish him for this later. He was, after all, her slave. He was just being stubborn about accepting his position.
"Ha, don't worry about it," Nekomaru said from his desk. In front of him was Akane's seat, where the Ultimate Gymnast was passed out and happily snoring. She had greatly enjoyed today's practice session, so it was to be expected. "I don't think they'll cause too many problems."
"The big mister is correct." Monaca happily swayed back and forth in her wheelchair as she raised her arms in excitement. "We just want to help Naruto with this school festival. Isn't that right, you guys?"
The other four kids quickly nodded in agreement.
"It's not like we even know what we're doing yet anyway," Teruteru said with a somewhat nervous chuckle from where he sat. "My idea was already shot down, even though it was such a good one."
Hiyoko glared at the perverted cook. "Keep quiet. Your ideas always suck, big bro Hanamura. It's always something perverted. I think you should get your head checked."
"Oh my~ What an intense look~ It's making me burn up!"
Even with kids present, Teruteru was still being his usual self.
Ibuki shuddered, but in a creeped out sort of way. "You make Ibuki want to run away sometimes, Teruteru-chan! The goosebumps just keep spreading throughout Ibuki's body!"
The Ultimate Cook merely chuckled at her words as he happily combed his hair. It was always fun to tease such beautiful girls.
"H'mph, what foolishness." Gundham was seated as well, with his arms crossed and his eyes closed. His Four Dark Devas of Destruction were perched on his shoulders as opposed to resting in his scarf. He had heard what Teruteru had said and had something to say in return. "As with any grand battle, decisiveness is key. Our actions will be swift and purposeful. I'm sure we will leave behind a grand and bloodied spectacle for all to admire on this stage known as the school festival. Kekekeke."
He chuckled to himself, like he was thinking of a joke that only he was aware of.
It made Hiyoko snicker. "Don't you ever get embarrassed talking like that?"
"He is kinda weird," Nagisa said softly, unsure of how to handle Gundham's antics. He didn't need another Jataro on his hands.
"Who cares about that?" Kotoko's eyes were sparkling as she looked at Gundham's hamsters. "Those hamsters are totally adorbs! I want to pet them."
Gundham visibly recoiled at her words. "What did you say? That my Four Dark Devas of Destruction are…..adorbs?"
It took great strength for the Ultimate Breeder to repeat that word, and it sickened him.
"Don't be foolish. They have the power to destroy the world!"
"Seriously!?" Masaru looked excited as he ran up to Gundham, with Jataro following his example. The two boys were looking at the hamsters with newfound interest. "I didn't know hamsters were that cool!"
"Kekeke, but of course." Gundham couldn't help but boast. "Most mortals cannot comprehend the power of my beasts. But don't fret. I won't let them devour your meager flesh. You wouldn't be a suitable meal for them, let alone a snack."
Despite Gundham's seemingly threatening words, Masaru and Jataro were instantly enamored with the four hamsters.
Kotoko on the other hand looked weirded out. "That's so not adorbs."
Hamsters eating people? Not an image she wanted in her head.
Nagisa had to sigh again. "Idiots. Falling for obvious lies."
Monaca just giggled as she watched how Masaru and Jataro tried to pet the four hamsters, much to Gundham's annoyance.
It made Hiyoko go to her seat and groan as she placed her head down on the desk. She was starting to feel tired all of a sudden, and class hadn't even started yet.
"I have no idea what Big Bro is thinking, bringing them here. It's not like we need their help."
And where was Mahiru anyway? Hopefully she wasn't in any danger.
"Aww, don't say that, Hiyoko-chan~" Ibuki was more than happy to cheer the blonde up as she went and stood next to Hiyoko's desk. "Ibuki thinks it's adorable what Naruto-chan is trying to do. It's also a good sign, you know."
Sign?
Usually, Hiyoko ignored the stupidity that came from Ibuki, but since Mahiru wasn't here she decided to humor the Ultimate Musician. It wasn't because she secretly thought of Ibuki as a good friend. Nope.
"What sign are you talking about?"
Grinning like a madwoman, Ibuki leaned in real close to whisper into Hiyoko's ear.
"That he's good with kids. Doesn't that mean he'll be a good father one day too? What do you think about that, Hiyoko-chan?"
It took Hiyoko a few seconds to process what Ibuki had just said. And when she did, she quickly raised her head as her face exploded into a cloud of steam thanks to the giant and fiery blush that erupted onto her cheeks.
"W-What the heck are you even saying, you stupid guitar playing freak!? W-Where i-is that coming from!"
Ibuki fell back laughing. "Ahahaha! Grand, so grand! That face you're making is really adorable, Hiyoko-chan! It makes me want to hug you. Ibuki was right to mess with you!"
This conniving little….
Realizing she had been duped and with no one to hold her back, Hiyoko didn't hesitate to jump out of her seat and lunge toward the laughing Ibuki to try and strangle the life out of her. It's what she deserved for her crimes.
How dare she make Hiyoko think about such things!?
Of course, Ibuki simply laughed even harder as she easily evaded any attempt Hiyoko made for her neck.
"Too slow~"
This only motivated Hiyoko further, which was exactly what Ibuki wanted.
She could be a prankster too, when she tried to be.
Monaca just giggled again as she watched the fight break out between the two girls while Nagisa shook his head in silent dismay. Hopefully he didn't grow up to be like that one day…..although it looked pretty fun too.
While normally Kotoko would be invested in the silly fight, right now she didn't care all that much for it as she glanced over to Naruto. Her face was full of curiosity and for good reason.
What could he be talking about right now, she wondered? The four of them were keeping their voices down so as to not attract attention, which made her all the more curious. Kotoko was almost tempted to try and sneak closer to see if she could hear anything, but she knew that was a bad idea. No doubt she would be spotted right away.
Oh well, she could be patient. Either way, this day was already turning out to be a lot more fun than she had been expecting, so Kotoko couldn't complain.
Now it was only a matter of time before the real fun began!
Unaware of the other shenanigans happening in the classroom, Naruto stared at Byakuya, Fuyuhiko, and Nagito with a rather grim look. His mood had turned sour ever since his meeting with that unnamed man earlier, so much so that he wasn't even thinking about Ibuki and their rather passionate kiss. He was feeling somewhat better now that Kurama was with him again, but he still had many things he wanted to get off his chest. So here he was, recounting what had happened out in front of the main school building to the others, trying to see if he could get their opinion on it. It would maybe help him get a better grasp of the situation.
"Heh." Fuyuhiko smirked after listening to Naruto's story. "Sounds like a pain in the ass, that guy."
Naruto already knew that. "Yeah, but who is he? The old man said he had more power than the headmaster. I didn't think that was possible."
The headmaster's father, another annoying geezer, had hinted that there were people out there looking to take the headmaster's position for themselves. However, this looked to be separate from that.
"There's no doubt." Byakuya placed a hand on his glasses with a rather serious look of his own. "The man you encountered is probably from the Steering Committee."
The Steering Committee? The name alone was enough to leave a bitter taste in Naruto's mouth.
"You know who they are, Byakuya?" Naruto asked with a hopeful tone.
"H'mph, but of course." The real Byakuya would no doubt know of their existence, so of course he did as well. But there was another reason besides that one. "I've had some encounters with them in the past. None of them I can describe as pleasant. They are an arrogant bunch, and the only thing they concern themselves with is preserving the good image of the school."
Byakuya almost scoffed at this last part. Protecting "good image" of the school. It sounded so nice and dandy when you put it like that, but the reality of it was far more bleak. That's how it usually was with these things.
"How very curious." Nagito smiled as he looked at Naruto. "Why would one of these men approach Uzumaki-kun like that?"
Nagito was certain that it was done on purpose. How else could you describe such a contrived meeting in front of the main school building?
Naruto narrowed his eyes. "If that man is part of the group that created all these bullshit rules about not attending class and keeping the Reserve Course and Main Course separate, is it possible that he's trying to get in the way of the school festival?"
That was the only thing that made sense in Naruto's mind. The school festival was designed to circumvent the current school rules. That would obviously annoy the ones who had set the rules in place to begin with, which this man was one of apparently.
"I doubt that." Byakuya didn't think so, however. "As I said, they're very arrogant. If he wanted to stop the school festival, he would have told you. They think nothing can challenge them, so they don't bother to mince their words. In a way, they're not wrong. The board of trustees largely controls Hope's Peak Academy now, and the Steering Committee is the most powerful group within the board. In the school, they are unrivaled."
Is that how it was? Naruto had no idea. He had been working under the assumption that the headmaster was the one in charge, but thinking back on it now he should have realized it sooner. After all, the headmaster wasn't the kind of person who would try and separate the Reserve Course and Main Course just because the former lacked "talent." That went doubly true for the Hope Cultivation Plan.
There had to be someone else involved. And now, he had met one of those responsible.
What a turn of events.
Fuyuhiko clicked his teeth together in annoyance. "T'sk, sounds like a pain in the ass. I didn't think Hope's Peak Academy was so full of shit."
Unlike Byakuya, he didn't have extensive knowledge about the school and how it was run. He didn't care for it.
"Hmm, I don't know about that." Humming, Nagito cupped his chin as he appeared doubtful. "They're the ones that created the Reserve Course, are they not? They were able to raise funds in order to continue researching talent. They were able to put the common masses to good use, to further the talents of every Ultimate including you guys. Don't you think that's wise?"
Naruto shook his head. "Not if they see the Reserve Course as inferior."
That was Naruto's main problem with all of this. It was such an unhealthy mentality that it was driving people like Natsumi to misery. Perhaps everyone in the Reserve Course felt like she did. Inadequate. Shameful. Bitter.
It angered him.
"You're still saying that." Despite his words, Nagito was smiling again. "I don't think you should dismiss it so easily, Uzumaki-kun. After all, haven't you benefited from the special treatment of being an Ultimate as well?"
Naruto didn't bother to hide his frown. He knew what Nagito was referring to. His equipment, his acceptance into the best school in the country, hell just the fact that he had been released from police custody in the first place. It might not have been his fault that he had broken into the museum, but the police probably wouldn't have cared. If he had been "normal," then the situation wouldn't have been resolved so easily. These were all benefits that he never would have attained had Hope's Peak Academy not deemed him as "special."
It was a fact he couldn't refute, and he wasn't going to.
"You're right about that. I have been given special treatment and have taken advantage of it. In that sense, I'm a hypocrite. Maybe it's because I'm in a privileged position that I can even say this, but that doesn't change the fact that it's wrong. I may be a hypocrite, but I still want to change that system."
Natsumi had said something similar before, and again Naruto understood that the girl hadn't been wrong. Just like Nagito wasn't wrong right now.
Nagito's smile grew at Naruto's answer. "Ah, even though I know what you're going to say, you still surprise me, Uzumaki-kun." The smile then vanished as he shook his head. "But I don't think it's as simple as you think. Trying to break the barrier between the two groups is impossible. As long as talent exists, there will always be that divide. Coming to an understanding just isn't possible. The only ones who can understand common people are other common people, and only Ultimates will be able to understand other Ultimates."
Naruto disagreed. "No. You don't have to be talented to be able to understand one another. People might be walking through different paths in life, but at the end of the day there is one emotion that unites us all. Something that anyone and everyone can bond over."
"Oh?" Nagito was curious as he crossed his arms. "Then let me ask you this, Uzumaki-kun. What emotion is that?"
"Pain."
Now that caught Nagito off guard. In all honesty, he had been expecting Naruto to say "love." To him, that was the "Naruto" answer.
But pain?
"Pain, huh?" Byakuya had to smirk, as if he just had an epiphany. "I see. Very interesting indeed. That explains it. I understand your methods now. That's how you've been able to connect with us all."
So he had noticed?
Fuyuhiko didn't get it. "What are you talking about?"
"As you know, Tsumiki has been helping me a great deal with Mitarai and his condition. We've had plenty of chances to talk, and she's told me some stuff about herself. I suspect it's the same with the rest of you." Byakuya explained, his smirk still in place. "It seems as if Uzumaki was able to close a hole in her heart, just as he did with me. I'm sure that sounds familiar?"
Wow, Mikan said that? It made Naruto feel really happy to hear the Ultimate Nurse speaking freely about that. Although maybe she was giving him too much credit…..
"A hole, huh." Fuyuhiko understood now. "I won't deny that I shared a similar experience with the idiot." Hey! "Peko too. It's how I was able to come clean about my past relationship with her."
"It's nothing special," Naruto said while awkwardly scratching his cheek. "It's just something I learned from my sibling student. Pain is a great way to connect people together. It makes them see that they're not so different in the end. That they're just human. It's a way to connect and see what's inside one another."
Of course, whereas Nagato had believed that pain was the only way to silence people because they were fundamentally evil, Naruto believed that pain was a great way to unite people because they were fundamentally good. It all just hinged on choice. Everyone was capable of doing good, of being redeemed. It all came down to what path each person chose for themselves.
Naruto hadn't been doing this intentionally, but through one way or another he was able to connect with many of his new friends because they had shared similar painful experiences.
Mikan, being ignored.
Sonia, trying to defy destiny.
Chiaki, being alone.
Teruteru, the love of their mothers.
Gundham, the fear of betrayal.
Akane, trying to run away from fear and suppress it.
Byakuya, unable to find their place in the world.
And so on.
They weren't exact comparisons, but it was close enough.
"But I don't think I can take all the credit," Naruto quickly added. "I still think you guys were capable of closing those holes among yourselves. Even if I wasn't here, it was only a matter of time. So I didn't do anything special."
Fuyuhiko looked annoyed now. "You piss me off sometimes, you know that? Yeah, maybe we would have reached the same conclusion, but you still helped us a lot. Hell, I'm sure I would still be indecisive if it weren't for you. So stop spouting that crap and accept your role in all of this."
There was no way Fuyuhiko was going to let Naruto downplay his involvement. Not a fucking chance.
Nagito had to agree. "Well said, Kuzuryu-kun."
Naruto didn't know how to respond, so he decided to just leave that subject be. Besides, it wasn't like he didn't appreciate Fuyuhiko's words.
Byakuya silently agreed as well and said, "It's an interesting technique, I must admit. Is that what you're trying to replicate with the rest of the school?"
So he noticed that too? Byakuya was sharp.
"Something like that, yeah." Naruto looked down at his hand, his eyes somber. "I'm not exactly sure how yet, but I think it's possible to make others understand one another through a similar method. That way, each side can be sure the other isn't lying. You can see what's inside the other person's heart. Pain doesn't lie. But it's not just the school. I want everyone in this world to be able to connect with one another. To make them see that their differences don't matter as much. No matter where you come from, deep down, we're all the same."
"To think you already have your sights on the whole world. So marvelous." Nagito couldn't be more ecstatic. The blond had mentioned it before, about trying to bring peace to the world. Surely, that's what ultimate hope was all about. But hearing him say it again…..well, Naruto's words made Nagito's heart race with excitement. This didn't stop him from disagreeing, though. "However, don't you think that's a bit misguided, Uzumaki-kun?"
Naruto cocked his head in Nagito's direction. "How so?"
"You're just lowering yourself to the level of the masses. They can't attain real hope, so instead they would rather drag you down to make you understand them. Isn't that plain arrogance on their part?"
The world was filled with unremarkable people. It was because they wielded such high numbers that they were able to enforce their petty ideals on the chosen. That's what Nagito believed.
"From your point of view, I suppose that would be one way to look at it," Naruto answered as he shook his head again. "But I told you this before, Nagito. Talent doesn't equal hope. Don't confuse the two. If you only focus on talent, you'll find yourself walking a lonely and bitter path. And that only leads to suffering and despair. At the end of the day, I believe that we only have one another to shield us from that loneliness. If you cling to talent that badly, you'll still find yourself empty inside, no matter how much you accomplish. To me, connections are what lead to hope. To peace."
Bonds. That was Naruto's answer. It was one of the first lessons he had learned in his life. He had experienced great despair when he had been alone, isolated by the villagers. But then he found Iruka, and Team Seven. He was able to built bonds with those around him, which allowed him to finally break free from his past.
Talent had nothing to do with it.
"You can't force your ideals on others anyhow," Naruto added as he turned his gaze out the window of the classroom. It was a beautiful morning. "That won't lead to peace or hope. You have to win people over. It's the only way to find any semblance of peace, if it does exist."
He head learned this from his world and from studying the history of this new one. There had been many great figures throughout history, people who had been able to bend the world around them to their will. Some had been more successful than others, but at the end of the day they were all talented in one way or another. You could even argue that they had achieved some form of success, whether it was through conquest or their legacy. Naruto wasn't interested in either of those things, however. He wanted something more tangible, more everlasting. But if he tried to follow in their path, then he would only find similar results.
Sure, he could spread his ideals through force. But where would that lead him? What would he be proving? That only strength was necessary? That power alone made you right? Naruto could acknowledge that power was necessary, but if it wasn't tempered with love and care then there was no meaning to it. This is where most of these past figures had failed in his mind. They had pushed their convictions onto the world and had taken everything upon themselves. They had changed the flow of history for sure, but that was it.
And to him, those results were not successes. Just a different form of failure.
Perhaps he was being egoistical in thinking that, but that's how he felt. If he was to find any semblance of peace, then he was going to have to forge a new path for himself. And Nagito's definition of hope wasn't it.
Conversely, Naruto knew that love wasn't enough either. He was forced to understand this through Sasuke. Power was a necessity if you wanted to get anything done.
Two sides of the same coin, like with most things in this world.
Like hope and despair.
'The duality of man.'
It was this imperfection that defined humanity. Where Madara had wanted to discard it, Naruto wanted to work with it. Because, at the end of the day, he wanted to believe that people could rise above that imperfection to something greater. Certainly not perfection, but perhaps the closest thing humans could achieve.
It didn't matter whether someone was talented or not. Everyone could do it.
Perhaps he was still being naive about all this, but this was Jiraiya's will. Naruto would never dishonor that. He also believed that it was a goal worth fighting for.
Naruto could tell that Nagito still wasn't convinced, but he was deep in thought. Like he was taking Naruto's words with a lot more consideration than before.
It made Naruto happy. He genuinely wanted Nagito to see things in a different light and to not keep putting himself down. He was only making himself miserable by believing that talent was the end goal, that only talent mattered.
Most of all, Naruto just wanted Nagito to be happy. It's what he wanted for all his friends. To have them keep smiling forever. If nothing else, if he could achieve that, then Naruto was content.
"Heh." Fuyuhiko couldn't help but smirk at Nagito's silence. "So Uzumaki got you tongue-tied, huh. That's a first."
Nagito wouldn't exactly put it like that. He was just…..troubled. He wanted to disagree with what Naruto was saying, and for the moment, inside his mind, he was. But at the same time, he couldn't deny the rapid beating of his heart.
Was he also…..happy? Somewhere in the back of his mind, was he accepting Naruto's point of view? Did he want Naruto to be right?
'I…..'
Nagito didn't know. He was once again stumped. It was troubling for him.
Maybe he just had to test it for myself? Would that finally put his heart at ease?
Good thing he already had the perfect test subject then.
"Putting that aside for now." Byakuya decided to bring the conversation back to its original topic. "What do you plan to do about the Steering Committee?"
There was still that pain to deal with.
Fuyuhiko had an answer. "If they're such bastards, taking them out seems like the simple solution."
Exactly what a true yakuza would say!
Naruto couldn't go through with such methods, though. "I already said it, didn't I? Trying to force change isn't going to cut it. We first have to the win school over. Otherwise, we'll just be seen as the aggressors. Unless they mess with us directly, we can ignore them for now."
"Yeah, yeah. I was just saying." Fuyuhiko hadn't been completely serious….only like ninety percent serious. "So that's it? You're not gonna do anything?"
Well…..no. Truth be told, Naruto did want to do something. And this something dealt with the secret project the school was working on. If this committee was the true power behind Hope's Peak, then they would know everything about it. Even with everything Naruto had asked, the headmaster hadn't exactly given him any specifics about the project, but Naruto wasn't going to try and force anything out of the man. He was sure the headmaster was dealing with his own problems. He was probably biding his time to make a move himself. At least, Naruto hoped so.
That said, he didn't want to rely solely on the headmaster either. If he wanted that information, then he was going to have to make a direct move against the school. A dangerous path to say the least. But as they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained.
There was also the fact that Naruto just didn't like all the bullshit rules this Steering Committee had put in place. They were doing more harm than good.
With all that in mind, Naruto finally said, "I don't know yet. I have to think about this some more."
Perhaps some covert action was in order? He would have to get more information about the school's layout first. But that wouldn't be hard to obtain. He already knew where he could get that info, after all.
Too bad he never noticed how Kurama perked up with a look of certainty on his little face. He had been listening intently to the conversation, and he had come to a decision as well.
Now, how was it possible for a fox to look certain you asked?
Use your imagination!
Byakuya and Fuyuhiko might have noticed Kurama's reaction were it not for the ominous aura that suddenly filled the room. It was enough to make Nagito come out of his thoughts as well as he looked around, confused.
"What is this!?" Gundham instantly rose to his feet as he took in the dark aura with a mixture of excitement and dread. "Has the Demon Lord of Destruction who resides deep in the Nine Hells finally made his appearance!?"
No one was able to react to his comment as they were too busy trying to make sense of the oppressive aura.
Only Naruto and Nekomaru were able to find its source as they noticed the door to the classroom being shoved open with great force. For a second, they thought a great monstrosity was on the other side ready to invade their classroom.
And really, they weren't exactly wrong.
They didn't realize who it really was until the creature rushed right at Naruto with a sword in hand. The last thing Naruto was able to see was the creature's red glowing eyes as it pounced on him.
Mahiru didn't know how she had stumbled on to this scene. No, "stumble" was the wrong word. She had, after all, followed Sonia and Mikan when she noticed the two girls heading into the nurse's office after walking past the main hall.
Class was about to start, so what could they be doing in the nurse's office of all places?
Mahiru had been curious. So she had followed them and had just barely opened the door when she heard Mikan's voice coming from inside the room.
"I-I kissed N-Naruto-san yesterday!"
It was almost like time had come to a complete stop for a second. It took Mahiru even longer to understand what she just heard. When she did, she panicked. In that moment, she made a split second decision to hide as she pressed her back to the door.
Her heart, which had been calm and steady before, was now beating rapidly. She was sure her face was red too. But whether it was from embarrassment or anger, she didn't know yet.
Mikan had kissed Naruto? What?
Mahiru was well aware that Ibuki and Chiaki had asked Naruto out on a "date" over the weekend, but she hadn't been worried. She was sure the two girls were just trying to tease the blond. But now, out of the blue, Mikan was saying that she had made a move on the blond idiot?
Just. How!?
'I can't believe it.'
Mahiru never expected Mikan to be so brave. If there had been any doubt in her mind about Mikan's feelings towards Naruto, then they were gone now.
That still left the redhead with one question.
Why was Mikan talking to Sonia about this?
What was she missing here?
"Oh, I see." Sonia's voice was as pleasant as always. "I appreciate your honesty. Is it wrong for me to say that I feel…..conflicted about this, Tsumiki-san? Even though I was cheering you on."
Conflicted? What did Sonia mean by that? And cheering her on? Why was Sonia cheering her on?
Mahiru felt like she was out of the loop here.
"D-Do you hate me now?" The worry in Mikan's voice was evident, and it made Mahiru want to hug the poor girl.
"No, of course not! Perish the thought. It wouldn't be fair for me to do so. For you see, I too have shared a kiss with Naruto."
'….'
Mahiru's mind was blank right now. She could do nothing but stare blankly at the wall in front of her. It wasn't hard for her to put the pieces together and figure out what this was all about.
It wasn't just her and Mikan who were interested in the blond idiot. Sonia was too. But unlike her, the two girls had already made a move. A really bold move at that. It made Mahiru feel like she was an outsider in all of this.
Did her feelings even matter at this point?
"Koizumi-san?"
Mahiru was just barely able to register Chiaki's voice as the girl came walking up to her with a curious gaze. She had her usual game console in hand, but right now she had her attention on Mahiru.
"What are you doing here? Is something the matter?"
Noticing that the door was slightly opened, Chiaki tried to peek inside into the nurse's office to see what had caught Mahiru's attention. She was just barely able to catch sight of Mikan and Sonia before she found her wrist being grabbed by Mahiru, who didn't say a word to her.
Mahiru's body moved on autopilot as she dragged Chiaki away from the entrance of the nurse's office and moved down the hallway toward the gym.
Chiaki allowed herself to be pulled away without a word.
Unaware of the two girls outside, Sonia and Mikan were still staring each other down inside the nurse's office. Okay, so maybe it wasn't that serious, but after Sonia's admission Mikan felt a burning feeling inside her chest.
Was this frustration? Or anger? Or jealousy?
Or all of the above?
"Y-You kissed him?"
Sonia didn't deny it. "I did. During the sleepover."
But that was a while back!
Mikan couldn't believe it. "Y-You never told me…."
And here she was, thinking she had been able to pull a fast one on the princess. How stupid she had been.
"It's somewhat complicated," Sonia said after a few moments of silence between them. "I did not plan for it. However, I do not regret it. I do not regret encouraging you to pursue your feelings either. It just did not occur to me how I might feel once you did."
And right now, Sonia couldn't say she was happy. The thought of Naruto kissing another girl, even if it was a dear friend like Mikan…..she couldn't put it into words.
It was confusing for her, and Sonia did not like being confused.
Mikan looked down. "A-Are you sure you don't hate me?"
She was kind of scared of that possibility.
Sonia's smile eased her fears. "I could never. We might be on opposing sides, but no matter how this may end I will never hate you. You are a precious friend to me."
That caring tone of hers…..it reminded Mikan of Naruto to be honest. In that sense, one could argue that Naruto and Sonia were perfect for one another. Both could be very outgoing and strange and had a strong spirit, but most of all they cared deeply about those around them, so much so that they were willing to put others before themselves. The only proof Mikan needed was how understanding Sonia was being right now despite also being unhappy about this development.
Was Mikan being the selfish one here? Perhaps, but she also did not care. Maybe it was because she was feeling desperate, but she just knew that for the first time in her life she was willing to fight for something she wanted.
"I suppose this means we are on equal footing at the moment." Sonia was still smiling. "Let us do our best."
Was this a declaration of war?
Mikan was unsure, but she was still willing to accept it.
Chiaki would admit to feeling stumped as she watched Mahiru walk in circles in front of her. Every couple of seconds she would also mutter something, but Chiaki couldn't make out what it was.
'Hmm.'
She was willing to be patient and waited in silence as Mahiru tried to get her mind in order. Whatever was troubling her must be big if she looked this overwhelmed. In the meantime, Chiaki did a quick glance of the gym. It was hard to believe that over two months had passed since the entrance ceremony. She still remembered walking through the doors of the gym for the first time, not knowing what to expect.
It was a good thing that she had accepted Hope's Peak Academy's invitation to join. She wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world right now.
"Nanami-san."
Oh, so Mahiru had finally stopped walking in circles. She was still looking troubled, though.
"Did something happen?" Chiaki asked her as she put away her game console for now. She had a feeling this would require all her attention. "I'm willing to listen to whatever you have to say."
Mahiru bit her lip. She hesitated for a few seconds before speaking.
"Listen. You…..you went on a date with Naruto over the weekend, correct?"
Weird. What did that have to do with Mahiru?
Chiaki still answered. "Yes. Although it turned out a bit differently than I was expecting."
Not that she had had clear expectations either.
"Differently? How so?"
Humming, Chiaki tilted her head as she tried to find the right words to explain herself.
"I thought romance would be something that was straightforward, but Uzumaki-kun taught me that it's not so simple. And that just because you're having fun it doesn't mean that you're in love…..I think."
"O-Oh." Mahiru averted her gaze as she asked, "So you don't have feelings for him?"
"Feelings?" Chiaki looked at the redhead with curiosity. "I like him a lot. He's a good friend. Just like you and the others, he's very important to me."
Her answer made Mahiru smile before she shook her head. "Not that. I mean. Romantic feelings."
Ah, that.
"I can't say I do."
Not that she knew what it felt like to be in love, but she was starting to understand that it was separate from friendship. So as far as she could tell, she didn't have any romantic interest in the blond. Her feelings could probably be better described as admiration, as she sort of looked up to him like a brother. But was it a big brother? When was his birthday?
Chiaki had so many questions now.
Mahiru's shoulders relaxed when she heard this. "I see. I sort of understand now. Thank you for answering my questions. I apologize if I was too upfront."
Chiaki didn't mind, but she was still confused. "Why do you ask? Is Uzumaki-kun involved in what's troubling you?"
Mahiru's cheeks reddened. "You could say that…..aaaahhhh, I just don't know what to do! I suspected it with Tsumiki-san, but I didn't think Sonia-san would be involved in this too. I feel like an idiot. When did things get so complicated?"
Okay, now Chiaki was really curious. What did Sonia and Mikan have to do with all of this?
"They were in the nurse's office, were they not? Then maybe we should go talk to them-"
"No, no. That won't be necessary." Mahiru was quick to shoot that idea down. "I will do that myself. Once my heart and mind have settled."
Chiaki just stared at the Ultimate Photographer for a few moments.
"…..is there something I can do to help?" she finally asked.
"I could use a hug, maybe…..just kidding."
Mahiru tried to laugh it off, but the truth of the matter was that she was feeling slightly overwhelmed by this new revelation. She never thought that the first time she fell for someone it would be this complicated. She should have expected it, though. Nothing was ever simple when Uzumaki Naruto was involved.
That idiot. Such a big idiot! Kissing Sonia and Mikan. What was he thinking? Did he have no shame? Mahiru knew she was going to have to set him straight. She-
Her mind stopped when she felt Chiaki's arms wrap around her for a hug.
The Ultimate Gamer was smiling as she rubbed Mahiru's back.
"Everything will be okay…..I think."
She could at least try to sound more confident.
Mahiru still appreciated the gesture and returned it as she hugged Chiaki back.
The two girls stayed like this for a few minutes.
It felt good to have friends to rely on during times like this.
Back to the present….
Chisa didn't know how long it had been since the call was cut off, but she didn't have time to dwell on that as she sprinted through the halls of Hope's Peak. She had to run all the way down from the fourth floor to the first floor. Most people would probably be feeling a little winded from this distance, but Chisa was still going on strong.
She had to be, since she had a feeling that she was about to run into a huge problem.
That suspicion only grew as she neared her classroom. She could already hear the ruckus that was no doubt transpiring in the classroom even though she was still out in the hallway.
What could be going on inside her classroom to make this much noise?
Chisa knew she was about to get her answer as she shoved the sliding door open.
"What's going on here-!?"
The young teacher was just barely able to get her question out as two blurs came clashing against one another in the center of the classroom. The classroom was pretty much destroyed by this point, as the desks had long since been overturned. There were plenty of holes in the walls too. The only thing that somehow remained in place was the podium.
Chisa nearly fell to her knees when she saw all of this.
"My classroom…."
It was literally falling apart!
The two blurs from before continued to clash as they moved through different sections of the classroom. It was only after focusing her eyes on them did Chisa finally realize what was going on.
The two blurs were none other than Naruto and Peko! And they were trading blows with one another, kunai versus sword.
What in the world? When was Peko ever this violent?
"Man, this is bad." Hearing Fuyuhiko's voice, Chisa looked over the right side of the classroom where the rest of her kids were lined up. She also noticed the five Li'l Ultimates from before were here too.
Like her, they were also spectating this unexpected fight.
"I had forgotten about this. Fuck, now I can't stop it."
"So it's your fault, Fuyuhiko-chan?" Ibuki asked with a hand on the side of her head. She looked troubled. "You should have told us sooner!"
"I blame the stupid mechanic!" Hiyoko exclaimed as she raised both arms in the air. "That four-eyed troll was dragging him with her, remember?"
"D-Don't look at me!" Kazuichi said as he tried to defend himself. "Pekoyama ambushed me in my room and told me she was gonna kill me! Just because of the stupid beauty pageant thing! I-I nearly died this morning, you know!"
"Then you should have stayed dead! Duh."
Why was she always so mean to him!?
"Wait, beauty pageant?" Mahiru didn't understand. "What beauty pageant?"
"W-Well….."
"Hey, fuckers." Scowling, Fuyuhiko glared at them. "This isn't the time for this crap. We gotta stop those two."
"Hmm, I don't know." Nekomaru didn't look sure for once. How unlike him! "They're really going at it. Perhaps it might be better if we let them get it out of their system first?"
"It's like a video game boss battle!" Chiaki was the only who sounded excited.
Nagito laughed softly. "I don't think Uzumaki-kun wants to fight at all."
"Sometimes a warrior has no choice but to take up the blade," Gundham commented offhandedly.
Byakuya didn't understand how that applied to this situation. "Your words are confusing as always."
Gundham was content with that.
"Heh." With a feral grin, Akane took a step forward. "Let me take a shot at them. Just watching them is getting me all hot and bothered."
Phrasing, please.
From all that, Chisa was able to gleam some of the details that had led up to this conflict. She also saw how the P.E. teacher was passed out on the floor as Mikan and Sonia watched over her. No doubt the poor woman had tried to intervene when she heard all the commotion.
"What can we even do, sensei!" Ibuki asked as the violent clashes between Naruto and Peko carried a torrent of wind that engulfed the entire classroom.
"So deliciously violent!" Teruteru cried out as he tried to make sure his hair wasn't ruined.
Chisa had no time to rebuke the cook for his behavior as she approached Naruto and Peko who had come to a standstill in the middle of the room. They were still locked in battle as they tried to overpower one another with their respective weapons. Kurama was still riding on top of Naruto's head, and every now and again he would growl down at the swordswoman.
How vicious.
"That's enough, you two!" Chisa called out to them both. "This isn't a game. You're destroying the classroom!"
"I don't really mind stopping," Naruto said, sounding pretty chirpy despite the situation. "Peko-chan here is the one who suddenly attacked me."
He was just glad he always carried at least one kunai on him.
Peko's eyes narrowed behind her glasses. There was a faint reddening of her cheeks that wasn't missed by Chisa.
"I have been shamed, so I cannot stop just yet."
Oh?
Chisa deadpanned, her eyes going to the blond. "What did you do, Uzumaki-kun?"
Naruto was offended. "Don't look at me, sensei! I'm not the one to blame! Kazuichi did something to her!"
Probably. Most likely. Was there any doubt really?
"Hey!" Kazuichi wouldn't let such slander go unaddressed! "I did nothing but show her videos of beauty pageants to get her ready! She's the one who overreacted!"
Fuyuhiko scowled as he leveled a hard glare upon the Ultimate Mechanic. "The fuck you did. You showed her a bunch of swimsuit competitions and half-naked women wrestling in oil. And then you told her that's what Uzumaki wanted her to do."
Say what now!?
The five Li'l Ultimates look aghast while every other Ultimate and Chisa turned to Kazuichi with disbelief.
Naruto wanted to stab the mechanic right about now.
"You fuck-face!"
Kazuichi had the decency to look away as he scratched the back of his head.
"Y-Yeah, well. Am I wrong!?"
"Of course you are! That's got nothing to do with a beauty pageant, you idiot!"
"Oh my." Teruteru couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Did Uzumaki-kun decide to follow my advice? I knew he had it in him! It was only a matter of time!"
Byakuya scowled, his expression one of annoyance. "I can't believe what I'm hearing."
"I can't believe it." All the color had drained from Mahiru's face. She couldn't believe what she was hearing either. "Is this a dream? It feels like a dream."
"Yuck." Hiyoko's face could murder anyone right now. "I can't believe Big Bro would do such a thing. I suppose we must punish him now."
"Hehehe, so extreme." Ibuki had to laugh. "I second that punishment! Can't let Naruto-chan get ahead of himself!"
Mikan had her face buried in her hands. Is that what Naruto was into? Did he want her to do that too?
How embarrassing!
"Oil wrestling?" Sonia just looked confused.
Naruto wanted to die.
"THAT'S NOT IT AT ALL!"
Why was his name the one being dragged through the mud right now!?
Goddamn you, Kazuichi!
It took a miracle, but Chisa was finally able to persuade Peko to stand down long enough to sort everything out. And by "sort everything out," the teacher obviously meant punishing both Naruto and Kazuichi.
The two boys were currently in front of the class and the Li'l Ultimates, both in a seiza sitting position. Both had their heads down as Hiyoko stood before them with a smug look.
"So you two have been planning stuff behind our backs, huh."
This was the perfect chance to punish them both! She couldn't wait.
"T-This wasn't my idea at all!" Kazuichi said as he tried to clear his name. "Uzumaki is the one who approached Pekoyama with the beauty pageant idea!"
Naruto almost kicked him. "Yeah, a beauty pageant. Not whatever you were showing her, you frigging pervert."
"It's only natural! When a guy sees an opportunity, he takes it!"
So he wasn't remorseful at all. Got it.
"Honestly, you two." With her arms crossed under her chest, Chisa sighed, looking disappointed. "I can't believe you would do such a thing."
"But of course, madame." Once again, Teruteru was combing his hair as he let out a low whistle. "Uzumaki-kun has realized the merits of my idea. I don't blame him at all for trying to implement it."
"Don't make the situation worse!" Naruto shouted at the cook.
"Oh yeah?" Hiyoko's face darkened as she towered over the blond. For once, she could be taller than him. "So you took big bro Hanamura's advice and tried to organize it yourself."
"Of course not! I would never! It was a stupid idea!"
"Don't deny the beast within you, Uzumaki-kun!"
"Teruteru, you're not helping!"
Did he want to kill Naruto or something!?
"E-Everyone." Sonia tried to intervene as she took a few steps toward Naruto. "I believe we should hear Naruto out. He probably has a good reason for his actions."
Thank you, Sonia!
Mahiru glared at the whiskered boy, which made him gulp.
"He better."
The redhead wasn't kidding. It was probably in his best interest to explain the situation. Otherwise, he might not live to see tomorrow.
So Naruto did just that.
"It wasn't my idea, I swear! It's all the student council's doing!"
That made them pause.
"The student council?" Chisa furrowed her brow. "You mean the two girls that came to talk to you last week?"
Naruto quickly nodded in her direction. "Yeah! They apparently want to host a beauty pageant during the school festival and wanted my help in convincing some of the girls to join. It'll help to motivate the other classes into participating." He then glared at Kazuichi who looked away again. "Then this idiot decided to take it too far."
"So that's what it was." Peko closed her eyes as she re-examined the situation. "I was tricked by Soda. I feel terrible for not realizing it sooner."
Fuyuhiko shrugged. "I tried to warn you, but….."
By that point, she wasn't listening anymore.
"I-I guess that means Naruto-san is cleared then," Mikan said softly with a small smile. She was glad that the blond wasn't guilty.
Chiaki shrugged. "I figured that was the case."
She didn't think Naruto had it in him to try and trick Peko like that. Kazuichi on the other hand….
"So who do we got to punish? Hmm~" Why did Ibuki sound so excited about that?
Byakuya looked at her. "Why does anyone need to be punished?"
"Don't say that, Byakuya-chan! Don't you get it? Peko-chan was dishonored! We have to stand by her in her hour of need! Right, Peko-chan?"
"I'm not-"
"See!"
See nothing! She just wanted to see someone get punished!
Gundham smirked. "If the world so wishes it, then it must be done."
"Pfft." Snickering, Hiyoko looked directly at Naruto as she said, "I vote for Big Bro to get punished."
What!?
Kazuichi couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was Hiyoko finally on his side!?
"That's bullshit!" Naruto said while grumbling. "Why does it gotta be me!? I didn't do anything wrong!"
"So you weren't going to try and make us participate in a beauty pageant for stupid perverts like big bro Hanamura to enjoy?"
Naruto's defiance wilted at Hiyoko's accusation.
When she put it like that…..
"Oh snap." Kotoko had to laugh a bit when she saw Naruto's reaction. "Looks like Naruto-kun has been caught red-handed."
Monaca cheered. "It's punishment time then!"
Naruto sulked. "What do you want me to do?"
When they were all against him like this, there was no way he was going to win.
And stop looking so smug, Kazuichi!
"There is but one fitting punishment for the likes of you!" Why was Hiyoko in charge all of a sudden!? "Since you want us to participate in a beauty pageant so badly, then you must warm up to us. You must serve us like a slave for the rest of the day. Got that?"
What!?
"I-I don't-"
"Hmm, I don't think that's good enough," Chisa said, suddenly butting into the conversation. She was grinning too. "Sensei has a much better idea."
Oh no. Naruto didn't like the look in her eyes. Neither did Kazuichi for that matter.
What was going to happen to them!?
"I want to stab you both so badly right now."
"If you want to blame anyone, blame the fuck-face next to me."
"Like I already said, a man must take any opportunity that comes his way! None of you would have acted any differently, so I don't want to hear it!"
"We're not dirty perverts like you."
Except for Teruteru. He probably would have been worse.
"Dragging someone of the esteemed Togami family into this…..you're lucky I don't have you executed on the spot."
"L-Like I said-"
"Ugh, forget it." Groaning, Naruto ignored Kazuichi's paled face as Byakuya glared at him.
There was no point in trying to chew Kazuichi out. Not right now at least. He had another problem on his hands.
Right at this moment, he and the other male Ultimates were lined up in the cafeteria on the first floor of the school while they waited for the girls to make their appearance. The only one not present with them was Teruteru who was out back in the kitchen and ready to cook. Nagisa, Jataro, and Masaru were also with them, and the three boys did not look happy right now.
Naruto couldn't blame them. He was also very uncomfortable as he stood in a line with the others. Why was he uncomfortable?
Because he was yet again stuck wearing a damn butler uniform. After his last mission, he had sworn he would never dress like that again.
Looks like he wasn't so lucky.
The others were wearing butler uniforms too. They had been supplied by Sonia, because of course the Ultimate Princess would have the means to give them all a butler uniform. How she found one to fit Nekomaru Naruto would never know, but that was a minor detail here.
It had taken Sonia approximately one hour to get the uniforms to Hope's Peak, and then it had taken them another hour to change into them.
And now, here they were, ready to face the girls.
"Grrr, this is most humiliating." Gundham was not happy about their current predicament either. "To think that I, the great leader of the Tanaka Empire, known as the most powerful warlock to ever exist, would be reduced to a mere servant. It's blasphemy."
"H'mph, I share that sentiment," Byakuya said, scowling. "Someone as dignified as the great Togami Byakuya should never be anyone's butler."
"I don't get why we have to do this too," Masaru complained as he wrestled with his bow tie. "We didn't even do anything!"
"I always knew I would end up a slave." Don't sound so happy, Jataro! "It was only a matter of time."
Nagisa sighed. "Don't be stupid, Jataro. This isn't like that."
"I think it might be fun." Nagito was at least trying to be optimistic.
"I say we make the most of it!" And apparently so was Kazuichi as he smirked. "The girls will pick out who they want as their butler, right?"
"From what I heard, there's going to be a lottery," Nekomaru replied as he did his best to not flex in his uniform. He didn't want to rip it. "There is no way of knowing who you'll end up with until the drawing. However, since we're down one butler, someone will end up with two masters."
Is that how it was? Well, it made sense. Including Kotoko and Monaca, there were eleven girls. Wait, was Chisa a "girl" too? Bah, who cares. And since they had Jataro, Masaru, and Nagisa with them and Teruteru wasn't joining as he needed to cook, they had a total of ten boys.
So close to being even, but no dice.
"I don't care if I end up with two. I just want to serve Miss Sonia." Kazuichi swooned at the thought. "It'll be my perfect chance to show her that I'm a new person!"
Fuyuhiko snorted. "There are a bunch of other ways to do that."
"Yeah, well. This is the plan I'm going with!"
"It's a stupid plan."
"Who asked you!?"
"Quiet, both of you." Byakuya was quick to silence their bickering. "They're coming."
Sure enough, one by one the girls started trickling into the cafeteria. It was obvious that they were excited by this event. It made Naruto feel slightly better about it. As long as it was fun, he couldn't complain too much.
He idly noted how Mikan was carrying Kurama, with the little fox looking pretty peaceful as he rested in her arms.
Lucky bastard.
Naruto shook that thought away as the girls formed a group of their own in front of them.
Sonia and Mikan seemed to be staring at him with similar gazes, but he couldn't quite make out what the expression on their faces was. Ibuki on the other hand was winking at him. She really was enjoying this.
"Hmm, yes." Hiyoko had already zoned in on him. She was looking at him up and down with a sadistic gleam in her eyes. "That suits you well, Big Bro. Your face is still too brutish, but you pass. I think you should wear that when you visit the Saionji compound."
Hell no.
"Now, now." Clapping, Chisa got everyone's attention. "Let's stay focus. We still haven't decided who will be serving who."
Akane groaned. "This sounds like a pain. I can get my own food, you know."
Unlike the rest of the girls, she didn't much care for any of this.
"This is about punishment, Owari-san." Mahiru was happy to snap several pictures, which she could use to tease the boys with later.
Or in Naruto's case, save the pictures for later.
Fuyuhiko let out a big sigh.
"Just get on with it already."
He didn't feel like standing around anymore.
"Sensei already prepared everything we will need to get started!"
Naruto raised an eyebrow when Chisa suddenly pulled out a hat from somewhere behind her. Just where had she been hiding that?
"I wrote the boys' names in pieces of paper and put them all in here," she happily explained to everyone. "Since Uzumaki-kun was the main perpetrator, I wrote his name in twice. That means he will have to serve two people today."
How was that fair!? This was Kazuichi's fault, not his!
He was about to complain but stopped when he noticed Hiyoko shooting him a glare.
"Not a word."
He gulped.
Why did his mouth feel dry all of a sudden?
Nagito felt kind of sorry for his blond friend. "It looks like you weren't so lucky this time, Uzumaki-kun."
Yeah, yeah. He wasn't getting out of this one alright.
Well, whatever. Might as well get this over with. It wasn't like this was the worst punishment he could have.
Time for the drawing to begin!
I was going to make this one chapter, but I had to cut it in half when I saw how long it was becoming.
Once again, someone guessed what I was gonna do in regards to the Steering Committee. My hat is off to you, sir or madame.
That's all I got for now.
Till next time.
