Chapter 13: Chiaki's Concern, Nagito's Nefariousness

Hope's Peak Academy

Reserve Course Building

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

Noon Time

Natsumi Kuzuryu had never trusted anyone outside of her family and even that was a challenge by itself. Whenever she told anyone about her parents fighting to the death to get a point across, she wasn't joking nor downplaying. Their parents might love each other, but their version of love was far from the traditional version of romance and far from what was generally considered healthy. Still, this violence was accepted by herself and Fuyuhiko and neither of them questioned that aspect of their lives.

At the same time, it would be a lie to say that it wasn't a lonely life. She had seen it in Fuyuhiko's life. More than he was willing to admit, he was a lonely person with few true meaningful connections to people. Him being the Super High School Level Yakuza made it so.

That same thinking applied to herself, much to her chagrin. While normal people were weak and spineless, they did get to enjoy one luxury: being able to live every single day without the worry of harm or death constantly hanging over them.

It was in a yakuza's nature to suspect others, even those who could seemingly do no harm. It was the one that was the least obvious that was the most dangerous. This paranoid nature led to a confrontational and aggressive attitude that came as natural as breathing. It was a reminder to everyone that the Kuzuryu Clan was alive and kicking. Anyone who disturbed the den would have the entire wolf pack descending upon them. That had to be constantly reinforced lest people think that they were weak.

Natsumi thought about all of this because the past few weeks of school had been the most calm she had ever felt in her life; that was no joke nor an exaggeration, just the unabated truth of how she felt. She had felt her guard being let down to such a level that she didn't even consider possible. It had taken her a bit of time to realize that she was so lax that she could be blindsided by even the most amateur hitman. Hell, even a kid in her class could get the slip on her with the way she was acting. This realization freaked her out.

The gangster girl looked to the source of her sudden change in attitude. There was only one person in this entire classroom that she would ever want to talk to. Everyone else was too scared, too disgusted, or something else in between to approach her, let alone hold a conversation with her. Pussies, all of them.

Hajime sat with the front of his desk pushed up to meet the front of her own. He was now drinking from a milk carton with a straw. His meal also consisted of a meal that constituted more than simple a single bun or a piece of bread. In fact, if she didn't know better, then she would say that he was eating the kind of food meant for athletic people.

"What?" Hajime put down his drink and engaged with her. "Do I have something on my face?"

"...since when did you start working out?" Natsumi gave him a weird look. "It's kind of… how should I say it? It's not something I'd expect from you."

"Trust me, as good as this looks, all of this is for a reason." Hajime took a bite from his salmon. "I've got these two athletic nuts on my case and if I want to survive their training, I've got to do this."

"Ultimates?" Natsumi guessed.

"Ultimates." Hajime agreed with her.

"That sounds… kind of fun actually." Natsumi shrugged slightly. "I mean, hey, I bet it's a hell of a lot more interesting than the shit we're learning in here."

"To you, sure, but consider this: we're talking about the Ultimate Gymnast and the Ultimate Team Manager here."

"The fuck kind of title is the Ultimate Team Manager?"

"The kind the school gives out, but don't let the title fool you. He could kick your ass a hundred different ways."

"Uh-huh. Yeah, right."

"You asked." Hajime took another sip of his milk. "But I am serious about all of this."

"I can see that, dipshit." Natsumi flicked him in the forehead.

"Ow." Hajime responded with little pain in his voice.

"You must be growing a thick skull." Natsumi sat back down and leaned her head against her left hand. "Guess that won't work anymore."

"You know, you could just not do anything annoying." He met her eyes with a deadpan look. "Like a decent person."

"And why would I do that?" Natsumi flicked his ahoge.

"See, that right there." Hajime swatted her hand away. "If you weren't like that, you'd have plenty of friends."

"You know, most people who are associated with the yakuza end up dead." Natsumie paused for a moment. "Or worse."

"That didn't exactly stop Hope's Peak, did it? They let your brother in."

"That's just so the school can have some good will with us, nothing more."

The Academy's reasons for allowing the two of them into the school was pretty simple to understand. If the future head of the Kuzuryu Clan was an alumni at the school, then in a small way, the government could make peace with the clan. After all, Hope's Peak was primarily the result of the government's backing. It was all backroom deals and politics that most people wouldn't know about or wouldn't even care about, but it was what it was. This agreement seemed beneficial to both sides for the time being.

But with time, the details and specifics would be contested and worked around as both sides tried to get an advantage over the other. There might be less bloodshed, but it didn't change one thing: it was a mad grab for power concealed under words and promises of peace. This could be considered as merely another form of fighting. It wasn't that the Kuzuryu girl cared to participate in, but she wasn't stupid. She knew what was going on.

"Then why bother coming here in the first place?" Hajime's investment in the conversation was kind of annoying. "What's the goal here?"

"You're thinkin' too much about this, Hinata." Natsume flicked him again to shut him up. "C'mon, you're a student. Focus on the things that matter to you right now. What my family does really isn't any of your business."

"I was just asking a question." He said with a sigh as he sat back in a more relaxed posture and rubbed where he had been flicked. "Is that really so much to ask for?"

"It's for your own good that you keep your nose out of that stuff." She crossed her arms. "It'd save me less trouble of cleaning up when you're a mess."

He grimaced. "God, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were a masochist."

"Yeah, I don't think I'm ready for that kind of fucked-up shit." The mental image was enough to bring an unpleasant expression to her face. "I mean, I'm not scared of anything, but that stuff's just… ugh!"

"Right." He seemed content not to think more on the subject.

Virtually all the kids in their class had broken off into groups, leaving the two of them relatively isolated. It had been like that since they began sitting together. Both had gotten used to this reality in one way or another. Put simply, they were different than their peers. Accepting mediocrity wasn't enough for them. Both of them aspired to greater heights and what they had now wouldn't suffice for as long as they were at Hope's Peak Academy. Being outed and ostracized by the entire class was definitely an experience that the two of them were quite familiar with.

The stares had been somewhat intense during their earliest days together during breaks and lunch. These days, nobody paid them any attention and the two oddballs did the same. If things had to be this way, then so be it. It wasn't like they were close with their classmates to begin with. Perhaps neither side would ever be able to get each other, but as long as there wasn't any malicious intent, what did it matter?

Natsumi flipped some of her blonde hair out of her eyes. When she first came to this class, she had insulted all of them, considering them all nothing but insignificant kids with a future dictated by those better than them. She still stuck by what she said, but her hostility had dimmed over time and it was getting harder to find a reason to be confrontational with any of them. It wasn't that she had softened her stance; it was more like she had better things to do than to be condescending to everyone 24/7. Actively making an effort to antagonize all around her was now something that she didn't even bother with.

Hajime was a far better alternative. Whenever she was doing stuff with him, it felt seamless. Not everything they said or did made sense all the time, but what the hell was life without some illogicalities?

Hope - - - Despair

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

Afternoon

Chiaki realized that she had not seem much of Hajime lately so today, she made a conscious effort to locate him and find out how things were. They didn't even have to play games. She just wanted to know what was keeping him so occupied.

She was fully aware of how her classmates were making their own memories with the Reserve Course student. Many of them talked about Hajime and none of them had a single negative thing to say about the boy so far. He was becoming something of a household name where 77-B was concerned. That got her thinking a bit: what did he think about all of this? Was he happy? Was he getting better?

More than anyone else, she understood just how boisterous her classmates were and with that came with it many adventures that left her fulfilled yet also exhausted at the same time. It was only thanks to her ability to analyze others that she had been able to get a grasp on how to deal with everyone should they get out of hand. More than once, she had to reign in Teruteru when his perverted tendencies got the better of him. Other times, she had to stop Akane and Nekomaru from destroying their classroom for the umpteenth time. And there was the one time where Nagito had unintentionally fed a stray cat out of pity and ended up attracting an entire horde of the wandering felines right into the building. How they got past the main gate was anyone's guess, but there it was.

Her results were mixed to say the least. Some outcomes were good while others were not-so-good, but her classmates didn't seem to mind her failings and welcomed her all the same.

With Hajime, she didn't have to worry about him going off the rails. She just had to do what she always did and things would be smooth sailing. For that she was grateful. Simplicity was a blessing when having to constantly deal with very complicated individuals. These moments were always greatly appreciated.

And speaking of the boy in question, there he was, sitting by the water fountain and doing his homework from the looks of it. This was a far cry from the moping boy that she had first met so long ago, or so the length of time felt long. She approached him, then stopped with just a few meters of distance between where she was standing and where he was sitting. Before she could say anything, he did first.

"Chiaki." Hajime nodded to her. "What's up?"

"Hi, Hajime." Chiaki responded back. "I just realized that I haven't seen you in a while. I thought I'd pay a visit."

"I didn't bring my games, so you'll be flying solo this time." Hajime closed his notebook and stowed it away in his bag. "If I had known you'd be coming-"

"No, that's fine." Chiaki took a seat next to him. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about my classmates."

"Alright." He gave her his attention fully. "What about them?"

"Hmm." She paused to collect her thoughts.

There was quite a bit to talk about actually, but condensing all of it was a daunting task. She was fairly certain that everyone save for Ryota had met him in one way or another. Scratch that, everyone had gone beyond simply meeting him. There were enough interactions that at the very least, they were all friends with him or close to it. She knew for certain that her fellow Ultimates liked him well enough, except maybe Nagito.

But what did the brown-haired boy think?

"Well, as I'm sure you've guessed, my classmates are a bit… rowdy." Chiaki opted for the most subdued description that she could manage. "I just wanted to know how things were going with them and how you're doing."

"I haven't given it much thought." Hajime met her eyes casually. "I've just been caught in the moment doing things. If I had say one thing, I'd say that it's keeping my busy, so maybe that's a good thing."

"You're not feeling overwhelmed?" Chiaki asked further. "Or stressful."

"I will say that I am very busy, but not in a bad way." Hajime's tone carried a relaxed feeling. "Sure, I'm doing a lot more than I'm used to, but at least I'm not lacking for things to do."

The Ultimate Gamer watched the Reserve Course student as he spoke. She wasn't an expert on understanding people's emotions and feelings, but right now she wasn't getting any bad vibes from him. If she had to say what she thought he was feeling, she would say that he appeared satisfied or fulfilled. Assuming that was the case, then her worries were not warranted. Outwardly, her face didn't display anything that wasn't perceived as normal for her. Internally, she felt relieved.

"I guess keeping busy stops me from feeling sorry for myself." Hajime chuckled weakly at his words. "It's weird, being able to say that with the perspective I have now."

"That's good to hear." Chiaki was truly happy that he was at least being kept from his negative thoughts. "To be honest, I was kind of worried."

"About what?" He looked perplexed by her words.

"Well… it's kind of complicated." Chiaki felt a bit of shame. "When the semester first started, I was… different."

She was really hesitant to speak on the matter of her attitude when she arrived at Hope's Peak Academy. Back then, the only thing that mattered was keeping up in school and playing her games. As long as she could do those two things, everyone was just an NPC in the game that was her life. She had practically given up on ever making friends.

It wasn't all that long ago that she was just a normal high school student and she was singled out for being the girl that played games. Gaming was seen as a nerd's hobby, something for the unpopular crowd to consume their time with because they were losers.

"I wasn't a popular girl in my old high school." Chiaki explained, her expression grim. "I was bullied for being a girl that was into games. Actually, it was like that for many years. Just because I was different, I was made fun of. Over time, I figured that I was going to be alone for the rest of my life, so my games were my safe haven."

The gamer girl felt her fists clench around her handheld console. Enduring those days was incredibly taxing on her, but she chugged on, believing that maybe, just maybe, there was light at the end of the tunnel.

"I figured that if I stayed on top of my classes, then I'd get into a good school, go to a good college, and work a decent job, pay the bills, and fund my gaming." Chiaki gazed at the afternoon sky. "That's when Hope's Peak Academy scouted me and it made sense to accept the offer. This place guarantees success if you graduate. I guess the plan hasn't changed all that much… except that I've made friends and I share my games with them and we all have fun. In turn, they share their talents with me and we all do stuff together as a class, even when it has nothing to do with our talents."

"I know what you mean." Hajime said with a light laugh. "It's incredible what they all can do. I only wish I could be with them everyday."

"Aren't you already?" Chiaki regarded him with a warm smile. "I've heard nothing but praise from them. Even Fuyuhiko likes you, or maybe it's better to say he doesn't dislike you."

"Well, it's a start at least." Hajime shrugged. "And… I'm sorry that you went through all that."

"It's okay." Chiaki's smile lessened. "I'd like to think that I went through a tough time and now I'm being rewarded."

"But it doesn't make it okay." Hajime's expression hardened. "I've been in the same. I wanted to do more than be normal, but everyone criticizes me, told me I'd never be anything but normal. It was like that before I came to Hope's Peak and it got worse when I enrolled at the academy. Even in the Reserve Course, everyone's happy to just be here, but it's not enough for me."

"I… didn't know." Chiaki was taken aback.

He held his hard face for a few more moments before softening, then turning his head away so she couldn't see his face. The mood had deflated so quickly and just when it looked like they had a perfect vibe going.

"I haven't given up yet." Hajime declared, although not specifically to her. "More than ever, I want to be worthy of the friends that I've made and the only way I can do that is by being someone who can give back to them just as much as they've given to me."

"But you've already given us so much." Chiaki attempted to get through to him. "Just being there for us is more than enough. We're not your friends because we want something from you. We're your friends because of who you are."

"... Thanks for the talk, Chiaki." Hajime got up and grabbed his things. "I've got some stuff to take care of."

She reached out a hand to stop him, but fell short. She didn't get up, only witness him leave.

Despair - - - Hope

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

Afternoon

Nagito found himself wandering outside Hope's Peak Academy grounds and just walking, doing nothing in particular. The reason for his lack of productivity was due to his good mood. Every day since Miss Yukizome had become their homeroom teacher, the amount of fun that had been achieved was simply out of this world, beyond anything he had ever experienced in the past, but considering that Ultimates were his classmates, was it any wonder that the level of fun was as high as it was?

Ultimately, his contributions to the class were minimal at best and chaotic at worst. His luck was what allowed him to create any sort of interest. It was a shame that his luck was better at creating enjoyable things to do than his own conscious efforts. It just highlighted how much he had to do to even be a fraction as incredible as his classmates. Until that day came, he would stick close to all of them for as long as he was able.

Nagito's head turned left, then right. He was farther away from the academy than he had realized. He must've been so engrossed in his thoughts to not be more cognizant of his surroundings. He was now on the edge of a park and here he could see people walking down the paths. Men and women, boys and girls, couples, married and not, guys hanging out, girls hanging out, and everything else in between. By all accounts, there wasn't anything unusual with this scene. It was the end of the day and some people found taking a walk in the park to be relaxing and all of that.

But there was one thing that stood out to him: these people were going about their day and although the moods were not all in complete synchronization, there was one thing he could say confidently: nobody was alone.

The Ultimate Lucky Student felt a myriad of emotions that evoked memories of his past. The images were of past events that he had lived through and he had seen quite a few things in his life. Good memories and bad memories came to the forefront of his mind, but the only ones that seemed to matter to him were the latter because they always overpowered the former. That's why he didn't think about the past.

Nagito turned around and swiftly went back towards Hope's Peak. He needed to get away from here as quickly as he could. He couldn't explain this sudden rush that he was experiencing. Normally, such a pedestrian sight wouldn't trigger him, but then again, maybe his bad luck had intentionally led him to this scene to remind him of where he came from and what was in store for him in the future.

His rapid pace got him back faster than he had left. He saw the front gate and felt himself calm down. Why did he bother going out in the first place?

But his luck wasn't done with him today. When he slowed his pace, his rationality returned to him. However, he was too late to stop his collision with someone else. There was a moment of vertigo as the two bodies smashed together, prompting two grunts of pain.

"Sorry, I didn't see… you…" Nagito began to apologize, but then saw who he had bumped into.

"Nagito." Hajime said nothing more in greeting.

"So the talentless student comes back here." Nagito lashed out again on instinct. "Have you figured out your talent yet?"

"Do you exist solely to grind my gears?" Hajime's tone adopted more of a bite. "Or is it your thing to make fun of people?"

"Only talentless people." Nagito answered.

"Charming." Hajime deadpanned.

"I do my best." Nagito casually intoned.

Getting a more clear picture, the white-haired boy observed his counterpart. Clearly, the Reserve Course student wasn't in the best of moods. His face carried slight anger, his posture was stiff, and his inflection indicated defensiveness and hostility. Something or someone pushed him to this stage.

"Did you need something, Nagito? If not, then I should get going."

"Hmm, maybe I do. Tell me Hajime, what exactly are you hoping to gain by doing what you're doing. Aren't you just setting yourself up to fail? What keeps you motivated?"

"Why all these questions?"

"You asked me if I needed something. I need answers. Either take it as it as or do nothing at all."

Nagito had said it once that Hajime's ability to attract the attention of his classmates was more than what it seemed. Luck alone couldn't allow such a normal person to cross paths with extraordinary people and not this many times. Even more astonishing was the ability to retain that attention without fail. Was it even possible for such an average kid to do what he did? Truly, this was a mystery that contradicted itself.

The two boys eyed each other, the rift between them apparent. Each time they met like this, it was them matching each other for all they had. Always the same topic, always the same dispositions, and always the same conclusion. Maybe they were destined to do this for the rest of their time at this academy. If that were the case, then at the very least, there would be at least one consistent source of entertainment.

Hajime blinked. "It's not about talent. It's about having fun with friends. It's that simple. Why do I have to be after talent?"

"Because all normal people want a talent." Nagito countered. "I would know because without my talent, I'm nothing but worthless trash."

And he fully believed it himself. The people in class 77-B had been recognized as people of a superior calibur. Their accomplishments and feats were many as well as impressive. People who coasted with an average outlook would only accomplish average things. Ultimates worked on a different level entirely. Their mindset was much different than that of the ordinary person and that was why they were different.

"Is that what you think of yourself?" Hajime asked. "Really?"

"It is." Nagito confirmed. "Because it's true."

"So you've given up even before starting the race." Hajime regarded him. "Why?"

"What's the point in pursuing perfection when you don't have the requirements to begin with?" Nagito made his reasons known. "Simply put, I don't have talent and my classmates do. There's nothing more to it. I can put in all the effort I want, but in the end, I'll never be able to compare to them."

Hajime looked confused. "Then what's the point of it all?"

"For hope, of course." Nagito already knew his answer. "The Ultimates create hope and one day, they'll change the world and spread that hope around, enough to destroy despair wherever it might be. I was to experience that hope. That is my only reason for being here. I will never be able to create hope, but being able to be beside those who can will make it all worth it."

There was so much despair in this world that needed to be dealt with, but in order to crush despair, hope was critical. Not just any hope would do; weak hope wouldn't crush the overpowering despair that had tainted the world. Only pure and absolute hope would be the good that would vanquish the evil that was called despair. This was the only course of action that made any sort of logical sense.

"You look so down Hajime." Nagito commented. "Have you been convinced why you'll never reach the Ultimates?"

"I've been convinced of something." Hajime had lost his edge, now having a look of pity. "Just not what you think."

"And what exactly have you been convinced of?"

"...I pity you, Nagito. I pity you for thinking so poorly of yourself. I might not have talent, but at least I'm going to live my life to the best of my ability anyway. I won't hide behind excuses in order to justify me doing nothing."

The Ultimate Lucky Student had to pause to take in these words. This seemed like a much different version of Hajime than what he had heard in the past. It was a more confident version. This begged the question: what had changed between the last time they spoke and now? What had happened that had caused such a radical shift in opinion?

"You… seem different." Nagito crossed his arms in thought.

"So I've figured out myself." Hajime slung his bag over his shoulder. "But you should be worried about yourself more than me. I'm getting my act together, but it sounds like you've got some work to do on that front."

The white-haired teenager was unable to get the final word in as the brunette took his leave, but there wasn't a point in talking back. It was outlandish that he was being talked down by a lesser student. A million words came to his mind describing just how ludicrous this entire conversation was.

"This is utterly ridiculous." Nagito shook his head in disappointment. "He'll never learn. A fool to the end."

But just like in the past, the conversation lingered.

Hope - - - Despair

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

Evening

"Sir, the results are in." This was a few days ahead of schedule.

"And?" Jin made it clear that he wasn't succinctness and simplicity. "What are the results? Can the project be altered?"

"Theoretically, yes, but the necessary steps and tests that are required are astronomical. We would need at least six months minimum."

"You will get four." Jin clarified with no room for negotiation. "Was there anything else?"

"No, sir."

"Then you and the staff had best get to work." Jin finished up. "And be mindful of our newest hirees. They are getting a little too close for comfort."

"Understood, sir.:

"Get it done." The academy headmaster ended the call.

He reclined further into his seat, letting out a very loud breath. That was another item to check off the to-do list. They were getting closer and closer to the end goal of Hope's Peak Academy. All they needed to do was make sure that Hajime continued along his intended path. While this would take longer, the payoff would be felt for years to come. A little more time was hardly a waste.

"I take it that things are going well?" Kazuo Tengan, sitting on a nearby chair, commented based on what he had heard.

"Our new plan is in motion." Jin affirmed what the elderly man spoke. "Now we have to carefully monitor our prize student."

"Not to rain on the parade, but I'm not getting any good vibes from this." Koichi Kizakura chimed in with his own two cents. "We're already pouring every resource in the book to do this. How much more can we afford?"

"I've already consulted our numbers and they're healthy." Jin assured his colleague. "It's all come to this; we can't let our predecessors' efforts be in vain."

The three men assembled in the office spoke no further. There was nothing else to say that hadn't already been said. Like it or not, they had all sold their souls to the devil when they all became a part of the Izuru Kamukura Project. They could call it the Hope Cultivation Project all they wished, justify their actions by declaring that it was all for the sake of the future of hope, but it didn't change the fact that they were dealing with human experimentation that could potentially go wrong in so many ways. It was morally wrong and they all knew it.

But morality was far from their minds at this point. They were all committed to this moment. They would be the first to see the results of so many generations of talents all coming together. Now they were on the verge of a breakthrough which could change the fate of Mankind itself forever. A new age was dawning on the world and they along with many others would be ushering in a new era unlike any seen in human history.

"For now, everything will proceed as normal." Jin refocused the conversation. "Hajime Hinata will continue his daily life. We have accounted for new factors and variables and he will be tested accordingly. If necessary, we will provide him with a chance to become an Ultimate of his own merit."

"Understood." Tengan murmured.

"Got it, boss." Koichi sighed.

It was going to be a long four months.

Welcome back, readers. I got busy these past few months with finishing up college and getting a job, but now I'm heading somewhere. Thank you all for reading and being patient. I know how hard it is to find a good story that updates on a consistent basis, but there it is. From this point forward, I hope to be able to update on a more consisent basis unless I notify otherwise.

Getting on with this chapter, Chiaki's part was interesting. I may be wrong, but I recall reading on her wiki page that in the past she was bullied and made fun of for being a gamer, which made her withdrawn and socially awkward. One thing the anime failed to convey was how she went from socially inexperienced girl to charismatic class representative. I want to convey that more in this story.

As for Nagito, he's always challenging to write about. As I may have said before, I'm not a big fan of Nagito as a person, but when you read about his life and the things that's happened to him, you can't help but sympathize with the guy on some level. The biggest hurdle for me is to write a character that I dislike on a fundamental in a better light.

I've got big plans for this story down the line and you guys will see what it is soon. As the last section hinted, plans are already in motion to begin the part where hell is starting reign down upon Hope's Peak Academy.

Thanks for reading. Please review and give feeback. I'm always eager to hear what you readers have to say and I hope life is treating you well.

"Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines."

Robert H. Schuller