Chapter 12: Everyday Life with the Ultimate Senpais (Part 4)
Hello again ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Ultimates of all ages! It's me again, your humble author, wesst1.
I don't think I've told you this lately, but you all are the best! I was worried about how the previous chapter would be received, but I am happy to see that you enjoyed it.
I started on this site with a Naruto fic and let me tell you, you cannot say anything negative about any character without being told you're bashing them. I know, different genre, but I thought maybe I did go a little harder on Hiyoko than most people probably would have liked. I shouldn't have worried, you guys know I love these characters, most of them anyway, there were a few DR3 characters I didn't like. I'm gonna try as hard as I can to be fair to them when they show up, but if I need them to be villains, then I will make them villains.
But I've rambled enough. You're here to read about how this chapter resolves the three previous chapters. Well, oh reader, mine, I hope you enjoy!
Present Day
The mood had shifted from when Naegi arrived, but that was to be expected. Though everything had worked out in the end, these next memories were unpleasant ones for Saionji. Though everything had worked out in the end, it had been a close call for her, and had things gone differently, it probably would have ended badly for Naegi too.
These memories weren't that much better for Koizumi and Tsumiki, they didn't want to think about what could have happened to their friends.
Koizumi in particular had often wondered if it all could have been avoided if she had been firmer with Saionji sooner.
Naegi was glad that he had been able to protect Saionji long enough for help to arrive, but he couldn't help wishing he had handled that one night at dinner differently. Though in the end, the worst that had happened was that Saionji had been badly shaken up and he had suffered some injuries, Naegi still blamed himself for kicking off the events that led to the situation.
Naegi felt Saionji tighten her hold on him before she said, "It wasn't your fault Naegi-onii. I'm the one who pushed my luck with the wrong people at the wrong time."
"Saionji-senpai, you know that I would never…" Naegi began as he hugged her back.
"I know that, dummy," Saionji told him. Soon, they both felt two more pairs of arms wrap around them. Koizumi and Tsumiki had decided to join the two in their moment. Ordinarily, Saionji would have been irritated, but this time she was grateful. Though this had affected the whole dorm, all four of them were the were the ones who felt the effects the most.
Hope's Peak Academy-Outside the Chemistry Lab
Thirteenth Week of Classes-Saturday
Naegi couldn't believe that he was doing this. He knew it wasn't really that bad, but given his current living situation, he wasn't sure earning the ire of one of the girls was in his best interest. Maybe I'll get lucky and not need this. I can only hope, he thought as he knocked on the door.
"Come in!" Kimura's voice called.
Naegi entered and saw Kimura along with two other people: a petite girl with strawberry blonde hair and a hat with a strawberry on top in the standard Hope's Peak uniform and a young man with a tall, lean build, pale blonde hair, sharp brown eyes, pale skin and a serious expression. He wore a red trench coat over the standard Hope's Peak Uniform.
Trying to be polite, Naegi greeted them. "Hello. I'm Naegi Makoto from Class 78," he said as he bowed.
"Oh! Naegi-kun! These are my friends and classmates. The girl is Ando Ruruka the Ultimate Confectioner and the boy is Izayoi Sonosuke the Ultimate Blacksmith," Kimura introduced.
Naegi attempted to shake hands with the two. Sonosuke did not accept and Ando placed a candy in Naegi's hand.
To say Naegi was confused would be an understatement. Looking to Kimura for help, she said, "Ruruka-chan doesn't trust anyone who won't eat her candies."
"Oh, well, thank you Ando-senpai," Naegi said as he popped the candy into his mouth. "Mmm, this is the best candy I've ever had in my life!" Naegi exclaimed.
"Of course it is," Ando said smugly.
"Naegi-kun did you need me for something? Is your shoulder alright?" Kimura asked with concern in her eyes.
"Hmm? Oh no, nothing like that but I do need your help with something," Naegi said before he explained what had brought him here.
The students from Class 76 listened, although only Kimura seemed interested. After Naegi was done, she said, "I'd be happy to help if I could, Naegi-kun, but I'm a pharmacist, not a disciplinarian."
"Well, with Saionji-senpai, I wouldn't hurt her in any way, but I'm reminded of stories my Oji-san used to tell me about his trips to America back in the 1950's. Something about how they disciplined children with foul mouths by washing their mouths out with soap. Instead of soap, I'd like to use mouthwash, as sour as you can make it if that's possible," Naegi explained.
"Mouthwash is easy, making it sour though…," Kimura trailed off. She had never really thought much about the flavor of her creations; it was always more important that the medicines worked.
"That's where I come in Seiko-chan!" Ando exclaimed as she walked over to Kimura.
"A joint project sounds like fun! When do you need this Naegi-kun?" Kimura asked, happy to be working on something with her friend.
"I don't want to rush either of you, but as soon as you can. If you can. I'm sure you're busy with it being your last year," Naegi said.
"Something like this? It's not like you asked for something challenging, come back tomorrow," Ando told him.
"Thank you. Thank you both," Naegi said with a bow.
"It's no trouble Naegi-kun. I'm always happy to help," Kimura said.
"Just don't forget, you owe us for this," Ando told him.
Naegi wasn't sure why, but the thought of owing Ando a favor scared him a little.
Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm
Fourteenth Week of Classes-Friday
Ando and Kimura had been true to their word and had completed the request by the next day. Naegi had tested it himself and it was exactly what he was looking for, although he hoped he would not need to us it and that Saionji would correct her behavior on her own. Just to be safe he kept it in the kitchen, hidden away just in case he did need it.
That had been the right call since Saionji had not gotten better, she had gotten worse. Naegi could take the insults Saionji hurled at him, it wasn't really personal, she was like that with everyone. The "pranks" she had pulled on everyone else last weekend was too far though. Maizono's feet were still tender from the tacks Saionji had put in her shoes; Owari could have died if she had eaten that poison ivy; and while Kuzuryuu and Owada had not hurt anyone, there had been a few close calls. Thankfully, Asahina had calmed down quickly and Souda had bounced back from his depressed mood.
What bothered Naegi the most though, was Saionji's treatment of Tsumiki. Saionji had known Tsumiki for a year longer than Naegi, she should know what her actions and words would do to the Ultimate Nurse and she kept it up. Naegi didn't know what was worse: the possibility that he had come to know Tsumiki better than one of her classmates; or the chance that Saionji did know and did not care.
Naegi knew Saionji had a kind side to her, but her actions since the previous weekend made that very difficult to remember. So, aware that he may come to regret this later, Naegi had gone into the kitchen to get Saionji a "drink." Naegi wasn't sure which of his senpai from Class 76 he had to thank for the appearance of the mouthwash, but the color gave it the appearance of a clear fruit juice, something Saionji wouldn't be suspicious of.
Once Naegi had returned from the kitchen he gave Saionji the glass of sour mouthwash. Saionji took one sip and spat it back out. "BLAH! WHAT DID YOU JUST GIVE ME?!" she demanded to know.
"Mouthwash. I'm hoping that at the very least it does something about that mouth of yours," Naegi told her. By this time, all eyes were on the two of them.
"How dare you? Did you forget your place?" Saionji asked angrily. Naegi talking back to her combined with the sour aftertaste was had her shaking in anger.
"I haven't. And I'm prepared for whatever comes from this, but I'm done looking the other way," Naegi answered. Taking a deep breath, Naegi started to speak again, "Saionji-senpai, I believe that we've all been more than patient with you. Now I can only speak for myself, but I can't take it anymore. Other people do not exist for your amusement."
By this time, the humiliation of being scolded by someone who was beneath her had mixed with Saionji's anger causing her to shed angry tears.
Naegi felt guilty but he pressed on. "I can understand wanting attention. I can understand that you may have a reason for your attitude. If you want attention, just be honest with us. As for your attitude, you are old enough to know better. I know you've hidden behind your appearance. I know you've hidden behind enablers. I'm saying it needs to stop. Otherwise you may find yourself in trouble and it will be all your fault, and you may not believe this right now, but I would hate for anything to happen to you Saionji-senpai. Because believe it or not, I do actually think we're friends."
After Naegi took a deep breath he turned to everyone else and said, "I'm sorry I spoiled dinner for all of you. Yukizome-sensei, I'll accept whatever punishment you deem appropriate, but right now, I need some fresh air." With that, Naegi left the room and stepped outside.
The tension in the air was so thick, the girls thought that they might suffocate from it. Being used to tense situations, Ikusaba decided that it would be for the best if she broke it. "I guess that had to happen at some point, but I never thought Naegi-kun would be the one to do it."
"What?! You agree with him?!" Saionji screamed. This was embarrassing for her.
"Saionji-san, we've all tried to be patient with you. I don't know what's going on, but you have been going too far lately. As your teacher I should have stepped in and corrected your behavior last year. I thought that, as you and your classmates grew closer, you would mature on your own," Yukizome explained. The young teacher couldn't help but feel like this was her fault to some degree.
"How?" Saionji asked. She was already angry and now that it seemed that the others agreed with Naegi, Saionji just got angrier.
"Hiyoko-chan did put tacks in Sayaka-chan's shoes," Mioda said.
"I found that odd. I would have thought that they would get along considering how important dancing is to both their talents," Sonia added.
"Huh? I'd prefer it if you didn't compare my dancing with some idol's cheap frolics," Saionji said snottily.
Maizono who had been silent until now, spoke up, "Saionji-senpai, you focus on traditional dancing, so I'm sure you think very highly of it. I can respect that. I'm sure from your perspective, idols are just young amateurs dancing on stage. Even so, it's a wonderful job that brings smiles to many people's faces. That's what I think."
"And...? What about it?" Saionji asked.
"Up until last week, I would have respected your opinion. I also like to think that I can take a joke. What you did was no prank, if it hadn't been for Tsumiki-senpai's treatment and Kimura-senpai's medicine I wouldn't have been able to practice with my group last week," Maizono explained.
"Yeah, whatever," Saionji said dismissively.
"I almost ate poison ivy because of one of your 'pranks,'" Owari complained.
"If you were dumb enough to fall for it, you deserve it," Saionji said with a chuckle.
"What kind of attitude is that? Who would look after Owari-senpai's family if something happened to her?" Asahina asked, mortified.
Saionji felt slightly guilty for that, but she wasn't going to admit it and so she just huffed and crossed her arms.
The complaints kept coming: Her treatment of Souda; riling up Kuzuryuu and Owada; what she did in the infirmary; her rudeness to Asahina; and everything since then.
At this point, Saionji had had enough. "You're all a bunch of babies. Everything worked out, so what's the problem?" she asked.
"Hiyoko-chan, that's enough!" Koizumi shouted.
Saionji couldn't hide her shock. "M-mahiru-nee?" she asked looking betrayed.
"Hiyoko-chan, you owe everyone an apology for your behavior. I've stood up for you before because you're my friend, but looking back, I think you've taken advantage of that. I can't be your enabler anymore," Koizumi said. It hurt because she knew Saionji would be upset. This is for the best though. I've looked the other way too many times. Please try to understand, Hiyoko-chan, Koizumi thought.
Saionji started to tear up at that. "I thought you were my friend!" she screamed as she ran out of the room.
"Hiyoko-chan," Koizumi called after her.
"Let her go, Koizumi-san," Yukizome said.
"Sensei?" Koizumi asked.
"Let her calm down first. I'm sure she's just embarrassed and upset. I'm sure she'll come around," Yukizome said.
"Y-yeah," Koizumi said. She wasn't crazy about the idea of leaving her friend like this, but Yukizome had a point.
"Well, I need to talk to Naegi-kun. I can't refuse to punish him just because he had a point," Yukizome said as she got up.
Naegi would have to serve some detention during the next week, but Yukizome had gone easy on him since she felt responsible for not reigning in Saionji's behavior sooner. Dinner proceeded and everyone went to bed expecting things to go calm down the next day.
Hope's Peak Academy-Class 77-B Homeroom
Fourteenth Week of Classes-Saturday
Having been at Hope's Peak for a year already, Class 77-B should have known that things would not calm down. The girls of 77-B hadn't said anything, but somehow, news of what had happened had spread. And while most of the class was kind enough to try to avoid discussing the events of the previous evening, one student, one of Saionji's favorite targets, found the whole thing hilarious.
"Pfft! Hahahahaha! He seriously called out the Ultimate Brat? That is awesome," Souda said as he laughed at Saionji's expense.
"Shut the hell up, you stupid ass virgin, grease monkey!" Saionji screamed as her face turned red in embarrassment.
"*Snicker* Careful, I might have to get that Naegi kid in here," Souda replied through more laughter.
"Souda-kun, t-that's eno-enough," Tsumiki said. As much as Tsumiki disliked how Saionji treated her, she still felt bad for the other girl. I don't really have a reason to stick up for her, but Saionji-san is still my classmate, she thought.
"I'm sure Hiyoko-chan feels bad enough as it is," Koizumi added. Saionji hadn't said a single word to her all morning. I'm sorry Hiyoko-chan, I wish this hadn't happened. But I can't pretend you didn't deserve some kind of punishment. We're just lucky that it was Naegi-kun and not someone dangerous, Koizumi thought.
Souda calmed down enough to say, "She couldn't possibly feel bad enough. She's been doing this crap since last year. Don't tell me any of you forgot what she did with that aphrodisiac?"
Koizumi frowned and answered, "I don't think any of us forgot, but you shouldn't make fun of her for this."
"If it were any one of us, she'd be laughing her ass off at us," Kuzuryuu said.
"Mmm," Koizumi grunted. It wasn't exactly a stretch to believe that Saionji would do something like that, but Koizumi didn't want to admit it.
"Alright, my little Rotten Oranges, take your seats!" Yukizome ordered as she entered the classroom. She had been discussing Naegi's punishment with the Headmaster, Kizakura, and, for good measure, Ishimaru. At the very least, no one could say she was going easy on Naegi even though she did agree with him.
Class had proceeded smoothly, although the atmosphere was rather subdued. Once it had ended, Saionji left without saying a word. The class had noticed, but most of them were of the mind that Saionji would get over this and be back to her normal self before too long. Tsumiki and Koizumi were some of the few that did not share that sentiment.
Tsumiki hoped that Saionji would learn something from this. She also felt guilty. Naegi had assured her that it didn't matter who Saionji picked on, he knew when he asked Kimura and Ando for the mouthwash, he would need to use it at some point, even if Saionji had been picking on someone else. That didn't mean that Tsumiki didn't feel partly responsible for the current mood. I-I need to stand up for myself more. If I had, Saionji-san wouldn't be avoiding Koizumi-san and Naegi-kun wouldn't have detention, she thought.
Koizumi was sad that Saionji was avoiding her, but she believed that the dancer had to talk to her again at some point. Until then, she would try to be patient.
Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm
Fifteenth Week of Classes-Wednesday
Koizumi knew she had to be patient, but it had been days since Saionji had spoken to anyone. The dancer had avoided everyone whenever she was not required to interact with people. Once classes ended Saionji would shut herself in her room.
Koizumi wasn't the only one who was worried, the mood at the dorm felt off and everyone noticed. Besides Koizumi, the two who were the most worried were Tsumiki and Naegi.
Tsumiki didn't want things to go back to how things were, but if Saionji would stop avoiding everyone, she thought it would be a small price to pay. Everyone assured her that was not necessary, but that didn't make her feel better.
Naegi had not expected Saionji to act this way. If anything, he expected her to pout for a day or two and either learn her lesson or make him her new favorite target. He knew everyone was frustrated with Saionji, but he hadn't expected their words to have this much of an impact on her. I guess this has more to do with Koizumi-senpai not siding with her than what I or any of the others said, he thought.
Right now, all three of them were outside Saionji's room. Yukizome had given Koizumi the key to Saionji's room so that she could try to talk to her friend. Tsumiki had tagged along because she was worried and Naegi had Saionji's dinner. Avoiding everyone had also involved not eating with them. She must have been eating though, the tray and the plates that Saionji's meals had been delivered on were always placed outside her door and an hour or so later they were found empty.
Naegi stood off to the side as Koizumi unlocked the door. He didn't want to make things worse by seeing Saionji when she wasn't decent, so he waited for either Koizumi or Tsumiki to let him know it was safe to enter. Koizumi motioned for him to come in, and soon all three of them were staring at Saionji's back. She was laying on the bed with her back to the others.
The only indication that Saionji was awake was when she said, "Get out."
"Hiyoko-chan, please. Enough is enough," Koizumi said.
"W-we're all w-worried about you," Tsumiki added.
"Yeah right," Saionji said dismissively.
"It's true Senpai," Naegi said.
"You. Out," Saionji ordered.
"Senpai, I'm sorry you're embarrassed, but I am not sorry that I did what I did. You are old enough to know better, and something had to happen to get you to stop," Naegi explained.
"Out!"
"Alright. I'll leave your dinner on the dresser," Naegi said as he put the tray down and left.
Once he was gone, Koizumi said, "Hiyoko-chan, I know you were embarrassed. And I know I hurt you, but none of us did what we did to be mean. Naegi-kun told me that his dad told him that people don't have time to waste scolding someone they don't care about. I thought it was weird at the time, but now I think I understand. It really was for your own good. What would have happened if you said or did something to some stranger and they turned out to be dangerous?"
Saionji was done talking and just waited for the others to leave.
"Alright. Hiyoko-chan, we'll try to give you your space. Just know that we're still your friends. We all are. That didn't change just because we got mad at you," Koizumi said as she and Tsumiki left.
When they had shut the door, Tsumiki asked, "I-is this my fault? Would it be better if I…?"
"No Mikan-chan. Looking back, I'm surprised this didn't happen sooner. It's partly my fault, even when I knew Hiyoko-chan was wrong, I stood up for her. You should not have had to have put up with everything for as long as you did and I'm sorry I didn't do anything for you sooner," Koizumi said.
"Koizumi-san," Tsumiki said. It meant a lot to the young nurse that someone was apologizing to her.
"All we can really do is wait. Hiyoko-chan has to come around eventually," Koizumi said. She just hoped that "eventually" got here soon. Tsumiki did too.
Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm Common Area
Fifteenth Week of Classes-Saturday
Naegi, Koizumi, and Tsumiki were by themselves in the common area discussing a matter of great importance. That matter was, of course, Saionji. She was no longer spending all of her time in her room; she had now begun to avoid everyone.
"I didn't think Hiyoko-chan would stay mad this long," Koizumi said, depressed that her friend still refused to talk to her.
"M-maybe i-if I let her kick me or…" Tsumiki began to say.
"None of that Tsumiki-senpai. You shouldn't have to suffer just so Saionji-senpai is in a good mood," Naegi told the nurse. Turning to Koizumi, he placed his hand on her shoulder and said, "Senpai, I'm sorry this is happening. I wanted to teach Saionji-senpai a lesson, not ruin friendships."
Koizumi felt her cheeks heat up at gesture before she said, "I-it's not your fault Naegi-kun. We all probably should have waited until Hiyoko-chan calmed down before we piled on."
Oblivious to the effect he was having on Koizumi, Naegi said, "That might be true, but I still kicked things off. It's only right that I take responsibility and fix it. I promise, I'll find a way to get Saionji-senpai to understand. You two will be friends again before you know it!"
Naegi's sudden burst of confidence and his promise to her caused Koizumi's blush to intensify until her face was the same color as her hair. Koizumi momentarily lost her ability to speak and just nodded. She then felt a chill run up her spine. She looked and saw Tsumiki looking at her with vacant eyes, but for some reason, that terrified her. For some reason, Koizumi felt like Tsumiki was planning to perform unspeakable acts of torture on her.
Thankfully, for Koizumi, Naegi then turned to Tsumiki and said, "And don't worry, Tsumiki-senpai, just because I'm going to try to fix things doesn't mean things will go back to the way they were. I'm sure once Saionji-senpai gets over this, things will be even better and you two will be great friends."
Happy for the attention, Tsumiki's scary look disappeared and she nodded and smiled. She was sure that she could trust Naegi's words. My Beloved wouldn't lie to me, she thought.
"Do you have a plan, Naegi-kun?" Koizumi asked. She was a little unsettled by Tsumiki's change in demeanor earlier but thought that maybe she had imagined it. Mikan-chan would never hurt anyone, it must have been my imagination. Something about Naegi-kun makes it hard for me to think clearly. I wonder if… She stopped that train of thought right there. There would be time to think about what Naegi was to her later, Saionji came first.
"Well, I need to catch her in a good mood first. If she still isn't talking to us at dinner, I'll try to make her something as a peace offering for tomorrow. It might take some work but good old-fashioned anmitsu, daifuku, dango, dorayaki, or even taiyaki might at least get her to listen. I'll need to see what we have on hand," Naegi said.
"Hiyoko-chan does love her traditional sweets," Koizumi admitted. Still, she hoped Saionji would be in a better mood this evening. I wonder what Hiyoko-chan is doing right now? Koizumi asked herself.
Meanwhile
What Saionji was doing right now was working off some anger. Today, that took the form of stomping ants. Sometimes she imagined that they were Naegi and her former "friends."
"Stupid Servant! *stomp* Stupid Pig Barf! *stomp* Stupid Mahiru-nee! *stomp*" Saionji yelled in between each stomp. She was so busy stomping ants that she didn't notice that someone had joined her.
"You're by yourself killing ants? What are you, some troubled teen?" a voice asked. Saionji looked up and saw Enoshima.
Saionji was not in the mood to be judged by Enoshima and became indignant, "Huh? Me, troubled? That's impossible...I mean, quit eavesdropping on me, you creep!"
"I wasn't eavesdropping, I'm just a girl who can hear a pin drop from 100 miles away," Enoshima said.
That nonsense explanation just annoyed Saionji further. "Ugh, seriously!? What the heck!? You're just as bad as Tanaka!" Saionji shouted.
Enoshima just kept going and said, "Geez, don't be so mean! We're blonde pigtail buddies, y'know!?"
"I don't remember being your buddy!" Saionji shouted. She had come out here to get away from everyone, she didn't need crazy balloon-breasted bimbos bothering her.
Enoshima's entire personality changed and were those…mushrooms growing out of her head? She then said, "Oh...me neither. I guess we're just overlapping characters, then...what despair."
"What's your problem!? Do you even understand what I'm saying!? We're not alike at all!" Saionji screamed. I don't want to deal with any of you. Not you! Not Servant! Not Pig Barf! And not Mahiru-nee! Saionji screamed in her mind.
Enoshima's personality shifted again. This time she was making a pose that Saionji thought she recognized from somewhere before she said, "Yes...understanding. Nothing ties us together...nothing will come of this...it's meaningless."
"Then go away! Geez!" Saionji ordered.
Enoshima shifted once again. This time, it was her normal public personality before saying, "Alright, alright. I've had my fun. I just thought that you might want this." Enoshima then handed Saionji a flyer for a tea house with tomorrow's date and a time written on it.
"What is this?" Saionji asked as she looked over the flyer.
"I just thought that you might want to get away from campus for a while. I made you a reservation at that place for a chaji. You know, show some support. Not everyone is mad at you, I found your pranks and insults hilarious," Enoshima explained while flashing her winning smile.
"Don't do things for me behind my back!" Saionji shouted. Then she became shy and said, "But, I guess I can go since you went to trouble of getting me a reservation."
"Glad to hear it! Make sure you have something special to wear for tomorrow though, you know how these things are," Enoshima said.
Saionji went back to her normal self and said, "Don't tell me what to do. Also, thanks, I guess." With that, Saionji left.
Enoshima stayed behind and once Saionji was gone, she said, "I'd warn you to be back before sunset because of how dangerous it can be, but you did say not to tell you what to do." Enoshima's smile was all teeth.
Suburb Near Hope's Peak-Tea House
Sixteenth Week of Classes-Sunday
Well, I have to give that bimbo credit, this place looks pretty good. It's a little out of the way though, Saionji thought as she took in the tiny building in front of her. It had the shōji windows and sliding doors made of wooden lattice covered in a translucent Japanese paper. From what she could see of the interior, it looked to have tatami mat floors and a tokonoma alcove. Most importantly, it had simple, subdued colours and style.
As Saionji entered, she examined the other guests in attendance. Good to know some people still appreciate the old traditions, she thought happily. After she had finished her preparations, she joined the other guests outside at the waiting bench. While she was waiting, she saw that there was a group of girls her age in attendance and she suddenly wished Koizumi had come with her. She pushed that feeling aside quickly though. I'm fine on my own. It doesn't bother me in the least if a group of weaklings want to play nice together while I'm here by myself. Who needs Mahiru-nee or any of the others? Saionji's attempts to convince herself only served to depress her. It was no small relief that the hostess arrived to summon the guests for the ceremony. As she bowed to the hostess, Saionji told herself, Don't think about the idiots back at school. I'm here to take my mind off of them.
Meanwhile
Saionji may have been trying not to think about everyone back at the dorm, but there were certainly people there thinking about her. Naegi in particular was trying to prepare the desserts he had mention to Koizumi the other day. It had been going rather smoothly: he had managed to make daifuku, dango, dorayaki, and taiyaki successfully. Getting the taiyaki shaped just right was difficult but hadn't proved impossible. Naegi thought he had probably started earlier than he needed to, but when Saionji had left, she didn't say where she was going or when she would be back.
With four desserts mostly ready there was only one left, anmitsu. As Naegi went to retrieve the agar-agar he would need, his luck decided that he had been having too easy of a time. Naegi tripped on thin air and landed on the pouch of agar-agar causing it to burst open and for the powder to spill out onto the floor.
"Just my luck," Naegi said as he got to his feet and proceeded to clean up the mess. The sound of the package attracted some of the resident of the dorm as Koizumi, Tsumiki, and others came to check on Naegi.
"Naegi-kun, are you alright?" Koizumi asked. She saw that Naegi was covered in powder, but he seemed okay.
"Y-you're not hurt, a-are you?" Tsumiki asked as she tried to find any visible injuries on Naegi.
"I'm alright everyone, I just tripped. I do need to go out and get more agar-agar for the anmitsu I'm making now though," Naegi said as he finished cleaning up. Looking at his hoodie and pants, Naegi then said, "Hopefully I can change, get agar-agar, come back, and finish before Saionji-senpai comes back from wherever she went."
"Naegi-kun, I think you have the right idea, but don't you think you might be over doing it? I doubt Saionji-senpai could eat all of this," Maizono said as she looked at the desserts Naegi had already finished.
"Oh, I'm sure she can't, but I just want to be absolutely sure I have something she won't turn down," Naegi said as he left the kitchen and headed to his room to change. Before going upstairs, he said, "I hate to ask, but could you girls keep an eye on those desserts? I told Owari-senpai and Asahina-san about what I was doing so they shouldn't try to eat those, but they might think those are extra since I'm not here."
"I'll take care of it," Ikusaba told him.
"Thank you, Ikusaba-san," Naegi said with a grateful smile.
"Shall I accompany you, Darling?" Sonia asked, hoping to both get some alone time with her future husband and also experience grocery shopping with him like a normal couple.
"I appreciate the offer Sonia-senpai, but it's just agar-agar, I should be back soon," Naegi assured the princess. With that, he went to his room to put on clean clothes and grab his wallet. I hope Saionji-senpai doesn't get back before I do. I mean she shouldn't. It isn't like it should be difficult to find what I need. I wonder where she went and what she's doing, Naegi thought as he left the dorm for the nearest grocery store.
Four Hours Later
It should not have been this hard to find agar-agar, Naegi thought as he tried to get his bearings in an unfamiliar part of town. Every store he went to, agar-agar was either not stocked or sold out. While he did finally find it at an out of the way store that specialized in traditional sweets, he had absolutely no idea where he was. It seemed to be a suburban area, but it seemed a little out of the way.
Great. Saionji-senpai is probably back at the dorm already. What am I gonna do now? Naegi thought. As soon as he found someone to give him directions, he made his way towards Hope's Peak.
Meanwhile
As it turned out, Saionji had not returned to the dorm. The tea ceremony had ended a little while ago, but Saionji wasn't ready to go back to Hope's Peak. Once the ceremony had ended, Saionji had decided to get dinner somewhere rather than go back and associate with the "traitors."
Luckily for her, there was no shortage of choices for restaurants near Hope's Peak Academy. Unfortunately, any restaurants that served traditional food and didn't seem too crowded were a little out of the way. Saionji could have looked past that if it weren't for all the drunks and the poor quality of the food. On top of that, it took forever to be served food. The portions were large, but the flavor was lacking. Guess that's the secret to enjoying the food here, being shitfaced drunk, she thought snidely.
After that underwhelming meal, the sun had already begun to set. "Great! They'll all probably bitch at me for staying out so long," Saionji grumbled. Deciding not to delay the inevitable, Saionji headed back towards Hope's Peak. She hadn't noticed before, but she had a bad feeling about this part of town. It didn't look bad when the sun was up, but now that it was starting to get dark, some unsavory shops seemed to be opening for the night.
"What did I wander into?" Saionji asked herself as she looked around taking in all the shops. She was so busy looking around that she walked right into someone. She fell back and felt something wet and strong-smelling spill on her kimono.
"Ugh! Watch it!" Saionji screamed.
"Sorry 'bout that," a male voice slurred.
"You *hic* really need to watch yourself. Never know who you'll run into," another inebriated voice said before laughing at their own joke.
Saionji looked and saw two teenage boys, both red in the face, maybe slightly older than her. Bleach blonde hair, tan skin, piercings, and clear signs of being drunk. Both were stereotypical delinquents except both were on the scrawny side. Both were holding bottles of beer, with one having beer down the side of the bottle, a clear sign that it had spilled.
"You stupid punks got beer on my kimono," Saionji said, her frustration clearly overriding her common sense.
"Watch it Girly. I apologized, didn't I?" the first one asked.
"You can wash a stupid kimono, but what are you gonna do about my buddy's beer? Can't get that back," the second one said.
"You better pay to wash this 'stupid kimono' or the cops are going to hear about you losers and your underage drinking," Saionji retorted. Given that the two of them were scrawny and it was just two, Saionji thought that if she bluffed enough, they would give up and run with their tails between their legs.
"You better pay for my beer, you stuck-up, little bitch," the first delinquent said.
"I got it," the second said as he grabbed for Saionji.
Saionji tried to get away, but felt a hand enclose around her wrist before she was pulled towards the two drunks. The one who grabbed her was deceptively strong.
The first drunk rummaged around Saionji's kimono before pulling out her wallet. Opening it, he found it empty of money. "No money? Well that's too bad for you. If you'd have accepted my apology you could have been on your way, but now you had better pay me back."
"Hey Ichiro, now that I get a good look at her, she's not half-bad," the delinquent holding her said.
"L-let me go a-and I promise I won't tell the cops," Saionji said as the seriousness of the situation hit her.
"Well would you look at that, Kenji, a Hope's Peak student, and an 'Ultimate' at that," the first one, Ichiro, said as he pulled out Saionji's student ID.
"Well now, that works. A pretty, little thing like this and an 'Ultimate?' I think I know how she can pay us back," the second one, Kenji, said with a perverted grin as he and his partner dragged Saionji into a nearby alley.
"N-no! NO! SOMEO-mmmph," Saionji started to scream before Kenji covered her mouth.
"That mouth of yours isn't saving you. That mouth is what got you into this mess," Kenji told Saionji.
"Ain't no one coming for you. Don't worry. You'll love your new home. You won't have to worry about your kimono either. You'll have plenty of new clothes," Ichiro chuckled.
"Think they'll mind if we test the merchandise?" Kenji asked. He didn't wait for an answer though as he tore Saionji's kimono.
"Time to put that mouth to good use," Ichiro said as he started to fumble with his pants. He didn't get very far before a metal trash can lid hit the back of his head.
"What the-?" Kenji asked before a shopping bag filled with trash hit him in the face and he released Saionji in shock.
"Get away from Saionji-senpai!"
Naegi had gotten lost. He knew it. He wasn't too proud to admit it. He had gotten turned around somewhere and was further away from Hope's Peak than when he started. It didn't help that all the back streets looked the same. After finding someone who pointed him in the right direction, he figured he'd be back
He had been getting numerous texts asking where he was. His admirers (a detail about those girls he was oblivious to) had sent him the most. He answered each of them individually and assured them he was fine. It was when he got to the last one, a message from Ikusaba, he saw Saionji and two unsavory looking men. When he saw them grab Saionji, he typed, I think Saionji-senpai is in trouble. Need help. Possibly police. Sending location now.
Never been more grateful for WhatsApp in my life, Naegi thought as he sent the message and followed the punks and Saionji. While he was doing that, he was doing his best to scope out escape routes and anything he could use to get the punks away from Saionji. Thankfully, the alley had no shortage of garbage cans. Naegi grabbed a lid but didn't think he could throw a second one in time. Naegi looked at the shopping bad and then at the contents of the garbage can. Once he moved the agar-agar powder into a large pocket of his hoodie, after opening it, just to be safe, he held the now empty bag open and used it to scoop up some garbage. Naegi thought that this should buy him and Saionji enough time if the lid and bag hit their marks. If not, well, I'll worry about that when it happens. I need to save Saionji-senpai now, Naegi told himself as he saw one of the punks fumbling with his pants.
Time to put that mouth to good use," the punk said as Naegi tossed the metal trash can lid like a frisbee. Luckily, it hit the back of the punk's head, causing him to abandon the zipper on his pants and grab the back of his head in pain.
"What the-?" Kenji asked before Naegi threw the shopping bag filled with trash. That hit Kenji in the face and causing him to release Saionji in shock.
"Get away from Saionji-senpai!" Naegi ordered. His usual gentleness gone.
"S-servant?" Saionji said, not believing that someone had come to her rescue. Yet there he was, Naegi Makoto, the boy who had humiliated her; the boy she wanted nothing to do with five minutes ago, had come to help her. He wasn't exactly imposing, but to Saionji, he looked like a superhero.
While Kenji was trying to get garbage juice out of his eyes, Ichiro recovered and charged at Naegi. "You little bastard!" he yelled.
Naegi tossed some agar-agar powder at him and got Ichiro right in the eyes.
"Ahh! You little shit!" he yelled.
Naegi dashed for Saionji and grabbed her hand. "Senpai, we need to go now!" he yelled.
Saionji nodded and ran with Naegi down the alley and hopefully to safety. The punks soon recovered and pursued the two students. The alleys and back streets were like a labyrinth, Naegi and Saionji hoped that they could lose the two punks before they caught up, but their pursuers were faster than they looked. Saionji attempted to slow the delinquents down by knocking over whatever she could to obstruct their path.
While they managed to put some distance between themselves and the punks, Naegi and Saionji ran down another alley and with branching paths. Making a quick decision they picked a path hoping to elude their pursuers. It turned out to be the wrong decision as they soon came to a dead end.
"What *huff* do we do *puff*?" Saionji said as she tried to catch her breath.
Naegi took off his jacket and covered Saionji so that she wasn't as exposed, something Saionji was grateful for. Even while running, she had tried to hold her kimono together to preserve her modesty. "Sorry I didn't do that first Senpai, but getting away seemed more important," Naegi said as he looked around. Backtracking came with too much risk of running into the punks, so all Naegi could think to do was hide Saionji. He removed his hoodie and placed it on the ground behind some garbage cans; took out the agar-agar powder; and grabbed Saionji's shoulders and sat her on top of his hoodie. After resending their location via text, Naegi handed Saionji his phone and said, "Saionji-senpai, whatever happens don't make a sound. Ikusaba-san and the others should be here soon but keep resending our location so they can find us. I'm not going to let those two near you," Naegi said before he and Saionji heard rapid footsteps. The punks were close.
Saionji couldn't even nod to let Naegi know that she understood. I did this. I just had to insult some random drunks. If Servant, no, if Naegi-onii hadn't shown up those two would have… Saionji shuddered at that thought.
In an attempt to reassure her, Naegi ruffled her hair and smiled, as if to say, "Everything will be alright." Naegi wasn't really sure he believed that, but he wasn't going to show that to Saionji. He told Saionji he would protect her, and he would. He took a deep breath and waited. Soon the punks closed in.
"Alright you little bastard, where is the girl?" the punk who tore Saionji's kimono, Kenji, demanded to know.
Good, they didn't see Saionji-senpai. I guess they're still a little drunk, Naegi thought. Steeling himself Naegi said, "Look, gentlemen, you're both drunk, maybe you should go home and sleep it off before you do something you can't undo."
"Do we look like we ever regret anything we do?" Ichiro asked.
"I guess not, but I thought it was worth a shot," Naegi admitted as he shrugged his shoulders.
"We tried being nice, but your little girlfriend decided she wanted to be tough," Kenji said.
"I'll admit Saionji-senpai never knows when to quit, but there's no justification in the world for what you two were about to do," Naegi said, still trying to talk them both down and buy time.
"That little bitch needs to learn that there are consequences. She couldn't pay with money, so we'll make her pay in other ways. Once we're done with her, we know someone who is into traditional girls. She's got a mouth, but she can probably be trained," Ichiro said.
"Her being an 'Ultimate' should help too," Kenji added.
"So, what I'm hearing is that this isn't something that can be blamed on the booze?" Naegi asked. He hoped Saionji would remember this. With any luck this information meant that these two wouldn't get off easily.
"Enough of this shit! Tell us where the girl is!" Ichiro screamed.
"I'd never let you two near Saionji-senpai, you're both out of luck," Naegi said resolutely.
"You're the one that's out of luck, kid," Kenji said as he and his friend charged at Naegi.
Naegi decided to test his luck with another trash can lid. He threw this lid at the punks, but this time they were ready for it and dodged. Naegi didn't have time to try the agar-agar powder again, as Kenji grabbed him and slammed him against one of the alley walls. While Kenji held Naegi, Ichiro began to beat the hell out of him.
"Feel like talking now you little shit!?" Ichiro asked mockingly.
Naegi, who was now sporting a black eye, numerous bruises, and blood on his face, said, "We've got nothing to discuss."
"Wrong answer," Ichiro said as he pulled out a knife.
Saionji couldn't take anymore. "STOP! Don't hurt him!" Saionji said as she ran out from behind the trash cans.
Fortunately, Ichiro didn't get the chance to use his knife as a loud "bang" was heard and the knife was shot out of his hand.
The punks, Naegi, and Saionji looked at where the sound had come from and saw Ikusaba Mukuro glaring at the punks. She looked ready to murder those two for daring to hurt Naegi.
"Ikusaba-san. You're here," Naegi said, relieved that help had come.
Saionji was even happier than Naegi. This night had been terrifying and now it looked like it was almost over.
"Ikusaba-san, you shouldn't run off by yourself," a gruff, female voice said as Ogami Sakura appeared, with Pekoyama Peko close behind. Pekoyama said nothing as she drew her sword.
Ichiro and Kenji could see that they were caught but weren't quite ready to give up. Both of them pulled out a knife and grabbed a hostage. Ichiro grabbed Naegi while Kenji grabbed Saionji.
"Let us go or these two are fucking dead!" Ichiro screamed at the girls as he held a knife to Naegi's throat. Kenji held a knife to Saionji's throat and just nodded in agreement.
The girls glared at them before Ikusaba put down her gun and Pekoyama sheathed her katana and placed it on the ground. Ogami growled but made no move to oppose the two while her friends' lives were at risk.
Deciding to gloat a bit, Ichiro said, "That's right. We're gonna walk out of this alley and once we're gone, we may consider letting these two go."
"Shame your girlfriends weren't able to save you, runt," Kenji added with a laugh.
Their victory was short-lived though as Ichiro felt a prick on his neck and collapsed.
Kenji was so shocked he loosened his grip on Saionji before he had something smashed into his head before his world went dark.
Naegi and Saionji looked over and saw Owari, Tsumiki, and Koizumi standing behind them. Tsumiki had a rather large, almost comically so, syringe with an odd liquid in it. Naegi vaguely recalled seeing something like that in the infirmary. If he was correct, it was a muscle relaxer. Koizumi was holding what looked to be the remains of…
"Mahiru-nee, your camera!" Saionji exclaimed.
"It's just a camera. You're more important to me Hiyoko-chan," Koizumi said although she still gave the remains of her camera a sad look. She meant it of course, but Koizumi still had a lot of memories attached to the camera.
"How did you get behind us?" Naegi asked.
"Hehe, these two held onto me as I climbed over the wall," Owari said proudly.
"Thanks for coming everyone," Naegi said as he looked at all of his friends.
"Everyone at the dorm wanted to come, but some of them had to bring the police," Ikusaba said.
"When you texted that Hiyoko-chan was in trouble we got here as fast as we could," Koizumi added.
"W-wasn't Sonia-san with your group, Ikusaba-san?" Tsumiki asked.
"She was right behind us, but…" Pekoyama began.
"Step away from my friend and my Darling!" a regal voice yelled. Soon, Sonia Nevermind appeared with a rather large…bazooka? "Is it over?" Sonia asked as she saw the punks on the ground. "Darling, I'm sorry. I came as fast as I could, but I fear my weapon slowed me down," Sonia explained.
"It's fine Sonia-senpai, but don't you think a bazooka is a little extreme?" Naegi asked.
"Not at all. If lives are in danger, then I as a princess and as your future bride must…" Sonia began.
Now that the mood had changed, Saionji had time to take everything in. Everyone came to help me. Mahiru-nee destroyed her camera to save me. Pig ba-, no, Mikan-nee came after how I've treated her. Naegi-onii got hurt because of me, Saionji thought. She was safe, but she never felt worse. She had mistreated these people and they still came to help her. She had been dismissive, bratty, and petty, but her friends came because Naegi had told them she needed help. Saionji felt disgusted with her behavior. She wanted to say something, but the police showed up to take the punks away and both Saionji and Naegi were escorted to the hospital to be treated for injuries and in Saionji's case, to check for any signs of sexual assault.
Later That Night
Everyone had made it back to the dorm safely. Saionji was still a little shaken up by the events of the evening, but physically she was fine. Naegi had been treated, but Tsumiki had forced him to rest and recover and said that she would get some medicine from Kimura in the morning. Right now, Koizumi, Tsumiki, and Saionji, who had since changed into a new kimono, were in the dorm common area.
Koizumi noticed that Saionji had been quiet since she had come back to the dorm but looked like she wanted to say something.
"Hiyoko-chan, are you okay?" Koizumi asked.
Saionji broke down in tears and yelled, "I'M SORRY! I'm sorry I was mean! I-I'm sorry you had to break your camera, Mahiru-nee! I'm sorry for how I've treated you, Mikan-nee! I-I *hic* *sob*!" Two pairs of arms wrapped around Saionji, calming her down, Koizumi and Tsumiki just held onto their friend until she calmed down.
After a while, Saionji did in fact calm down. Once she had, she remembered that there was something about the night's events she didn't understand. "How did Naegi-onii find me?"
"He was buying agar-agar for anmitsu," Koizumi said. She explained that Naegi had promised to fix things between the girls and his plan involving desserts. He promised to fix things between Hiyoko-chan and I and he did. He's really brave for trying to protect Hiyoko-chan, Koizumi thought fondly. Koizumi remembered that her mother had once asked if Naegi was her boyfriend. While Koizumi had been embarrassed by the question at the time, she couldn't help but think that she wouldn't mind having Naegi as her boyfriend.
Tsumiki was quiet throughout Koizumi's explanation, but she couldn't help remembering something Naegi had said. My Beloved said things would be better than they were before. He was right. Saionji-san has never apologized before. My life is so much better with My Beloved in it, Tsumiki thought.
Saionji was touched by what she heard. He was there for me. He was doing all this work for me, she thought as her face turned red thinking of all Naegi had done and had planned to do for her. Once she had processed all of that, she said, "Naegi-onii is really amazing."
"He's certainly very reliable," Koizumi said.
"He's perfect," Tsumiki added.
"We know," another voice said. The three turned and saw Ikusaba and Naegi's other admirers.
"If you three have feelings for my Darling as well, I have a solution that I believe will make all of us happy!" Sonia said.
Present Day
The girls all had to come back to the present there. Sonia's serious offer of being Naegi's mistresses was embarrassing. Although Tsumiki's reaction had been worse. The nurse had thrown a scalpel at her classmate. Thankfully, Ikusaba had caught the implement and since then had been able to protect the girls from this new side of the Ultimate Nurse the others had dubbed "Yandere Mikan." It wouldn't have mattered if she didn't though. Naegi had done so much for them it was hard not to fall for him, even if it was dangerous.
Naegi was oblivious to all of this however, it was just him being himself. It was hardly anything praiseworthy, but if you asked his admirers, that was just part of his charm.
Reminiscing had caused Naegi to remember something important though. "Oh, those punks will be going to trial soon. We might need to testify against them," he said.
"I really don't want to have to see those two," Saionji said as she shuddered at the thought of seeing them again.
"Hey, we'll be there too, don't worry," Naegi said as he put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
Koizumi was jealous at the attention Saionji was getting but nodded in support. Tsumiki, however, was grabbing something in the pocket of her apron. Saionji and Koizumi feared it was something sharp.
Luckily, they were saved from finding out by the arrival of one of Naegi's classmates as the large form of Yamada Hifumi ran towards the Luckster. "Naegi-dono, help! Celes-sama is going to kill us all!" he yelled.
Naegi couldn't imagine what had set Celes off, but he knew that he stood a better chance of talking her down than Yamada. He turned to his current companions and said, "Looks like Yamada-kun needs my help. I'll see you three later," before running off.
The girls weren't exactly thrilled that Naegi was going to see another one of their rivals, but they wouldn't stop him from trying to help others. Plus, they had seen Celes angry. An angry Celestia Ludenberg was almost as terrifying as…
*thunk*
A scalpel had been lodged into a nearby wall courtesy of Tsumiki. Whenever she was particularly jealous of another girl getting attention, she had discovered that throwing sharp objects helped to calm her down. That was probably another reason why Yandere Mikan had not made too many appearances lately, in addition to the threat of retaliation by Ikusaba.
"I think we should call it quits on practice for today," Koizumi said as she looked at the expression on Tsumiki's face and then at the scalpel in the concrete wall.
"Agreed" Saionji said.
"So Yamada-kun, what happened?" Naegi said as he followed Yamada to Celes's location.
"Well Naegi-dono, Celes-sama enlisted the help of Hagakure-dono and myself regarding a serious matter this morning. As you are well aware, Hagakure-dono does not always think before he speaks and…well, you might hear it as we get closer," Yamada explained.
Naegi could indeed hear screaming as he and Yamada kept going.
"I FUCKING DARE YOU TO SAY THAT AGAIN HAGAKURE!" That was indeed Celes's voice.
I would not want to be Hagakure-kun right now, he thought as he and Yamada approached the enraged gambler and cowering clairvoyant.
That's all for now, oh readers, mine.
I know some of you probably aren't too thrilled with me using an attempted rape in the story. Believe me, I would never wish something like that on my worst enemy. This was harkening back to something I had Makoto say to Hiyoko. About how she would have an attitude with the wrong people and something would happen to her. Drunk delinquents aren't exactly known for being reasonable, after all. Actually, when I was younger my Dad told me something like that. That I would "mouth off to the wrong person and get myself killed." It's brutal, but it's a very real possibility. Thankfully that never happened to me and I wasn't going to have anyone attempt to kill Saionji.
Admittedly, I was worried that it was too much, but we've seen worse canonically in Danganronpa, so I guess I'm safe on that front. This is a franchise that had Fuyuhiko threaten to send Mikan to a whorehouse and then there's poor Kotoko…I'm gonna stop right there.
So, Celes is up next, followed by Peko for those interested. Hope to see you then!
No DanganDestiny this time, Shadowkeep is too close so I wouldn't have a complete D2 timeline for Ghost to talk about. Plus, I've kept you all waiting long enough, and I wanted to post this right away.
No Devil May Cry crossover snippets this time either I'm afraid. But after Chiaki's chapter, I might start doing some omakes at the end. How does the "Sleepy Video Game Nerd" sound to everybody? Hopefully by then I'll have thought of a way to change the AVGN theme song to work with Chiaki.
Anyway, that's it for me this time. See you later!
