Chapter 18: Peko's Peace, Gundham's Guidance

Hope's Peak Academy

Main Building Dojo

Monday, August 30th, 2010

Noon

Peko usually spent most of her free time within the dojo on the top floor of the academy. If not training her sword skills to the most fine point that she could, then she would sit here in meditation.

This place saw many people with talents related to anything physical. Martial arts, self-defense, and weapons training were just a few categories. Sometimes, time could be spent here in meditation. Students that came here were generally very dedicated to their craft and as a result, this place remained largely silent. Unless there was an agreed-upon spar or fight, it was an unspoken rule that disturbing others was not welcome.

She could often spend hours at a time and it was even worse during her early days of training. It was only thanks to a bit of mental rewiring and some outside help that she had managed to remember that she was human too, thus requiring needs like food and water.

There was also spending time with the rest of Class 77-B. Despite her mostly solitude nature, she couldn't help but be drawn in by the antics of her classmates. Their homeroom teacher certainly had a way of keeping them all reeled in and their class representative always possessed a means to get them to do lots of things together. Honestly, it was amazing that a sort of unity existed between them all.

Peko slowly let another breath enter and exit her lungs. Her mind had become nearly empty with only a few thoughts at the front of her mind. She remained as still as stone with no inclination to move.

With such clear focus, her senses were also sharp as she could sense even the slightest changes in her environment. If anyone tried to sneak up on her, she would react like a lightning bolt and intercept them with a strike.

The Ultimate Swordswoman could hear the slight ticking of a clock nearby, the only sound within these four walls. She could hear it, but time possessed no meaning for her while she was deep in meditation. Everything was a distraction and she only needed to concern herself with her clarity of mind.

Right now, she was the only student here, the only person for that matter. Usually, many did their training early in the morning in order to get a headstart on the day and get some energy in preparation for another day at Hope's Peak Academy. She too did the same. Productivity at dawn was at its peak.

Peko then heard the sound of the dojo door opening and then closing after a few seconds of silence, but again she paid it no mind. There were plenty of others who saw use of this place, so there was no reason to stop what she was doing.

However, if there was one thing she always did when she detected a presence, she began instinctually assessing them to see if they were a threat. If they were, she would be on her guard. If not, then there was no problem. In the case of those that practiced some form of combat, they usually exuded a dangerous aura on some level.

The presence that she was feeling had nothing like that. To be more specific, she couldn't detect any aggression of any kind. It was just a presence that seemed familiar to her somehow. For a second, she struggled to figure out who it was that she was sensing.

Then it hit her.

"Hajime." Peko spoke his name quietly. "Good morning, or I believe I should say good afternoon."

"You knew I was here?" Hajime sounded incredulous. "How?"

"Everyone exudes an aura that I can sense." Peko explained briefly. "Yours is not of a warrior and it was familiar as well."

"Oh." Hajime's response made enough sense.

"In any case, welcome to the dojo." Peko remained seated with her eyes closed, but still engaged with the conversation. "What brings you up here?"

"I thought I'd do a little more exploration." Hajime explained. "I just happened to look in and see you and I couldn't help but watch."

"I see." Peko nodded her head a couple times. "If you feel inclined to stay, then do so."

"No, I don't want to get in the way." Hajime responded. "I was just curious."

The Ultimate Swordswoman decided to cease her meditation and stood up to face him. He was dressed in the summer wear for the Reserve Course students, a simple white dress shirt and a tie. It was very fitting to him to her eyes, a simple look for a boy who seemed very simple.

Looking into his eyes, she could also discern that same look in his eyes from before, a fire in them that looked as strong as ever. He didn't appear to have come to any sort of realization about this change in him still. It gave her mixed feelings.

On one hand, his inability to discern these changes indicated that he was a more quiet and humble soul. Those were traits that she found to be admirable. From her experience, people with any amount of humility knew a certain degree of restraint, a skill that was very critical to all aspects of life. Without restraint, indulgence would run rampant, people would overextend themselves, and chaos would win.

On the other hand, his inability to realize his own changes meant that his focus might blind him to some of the other details in his life and oftentimes it was those small things that made all the difference in the big things. It might not seem that way on the surface, but important events in a person's life were merely the culmination of their actions and choice up until that point.

"Actually, now that you are here, I have a proposal for you." Peko stopped him. "If you are willing, I believe I might be able to help you with something."

"Help me?" Hajime obviously couldn't piece together her intent. "With what?"

"Your focus." Peko made clear eye contact. "I have noticed that you tend to possess tunnel vision whenever you are concentrating on anything. You should be aware of all things around you whenever possible."

"I have a problem with focus?" Hajime seemed surprised at being told this. "Really?"

"The fact that you don't seem to realize this is troublesome." Peko crossed her arms. "In that case, I insist that you stay for whatever time you have and allow me to help you."

"I… is this really okay?" Hajime gave her a look. "I mean, if you're in the middle of your own meditation, I can-"

"I insist." Peko pressed.

He didn't say anything at first, but his silence was telling as well as his eyes, which widened slightly in surprise at her forcefulness. Once he processed this, he stared at her for a few seconds longer before softly nodding his head once.

"Then let us begin." Peko sat down cross-legged and gestured that he do the same. "This will take time to learn properly, so get comfortable."

"Alright." Hajime carefully lowered himself down. "So how do I get started?"

"We will focus first on breathing technique." Peko began the lesson. "This might seem easy to grasp, but this is very important. Depending upon how you breathe, the way that your mind will function while meditating will be affected."

"I get it." Hajime nodded. "So what's the ideal breathing technique?"

"Take a deep breath in, as much air as you can let into your systems." Peko instructed. "Then slowly exhale and let it all out. Imagine the sound of ocean waves hitting the shore while you breath out."

The Ultimate Swordswoman watched the Reserve Course boy as he did as he was told several times. He was quick to listen and appeared eager to absorb whatever information he could from her. That was good; an open mind was much easier to teach than a stubborn one with fixed ideas.

Peko then came upon a sort of revelation: she had more or less taken up a disciple of her own with this simple act. Granted, she wasn't teaching him anything in the way of swordsmanship, but she was instructing him all the same. The thought brought her a strange sense of apprehension, yet at the same time satisfaction bloomed within her. It was so hard for her to describe accurately.

The very idea of interacting with others beyond Master Fuyuhiko and her classmates didn't really occur to her and even with class 77-B, her interactions with them were more professional and courteous that what could be the textbook definition of friendship and her she was, taking on a student from the flip side of the coin of Hope's Peak Academy. Truly, her path had taken her to a place that she never imagined seeing.

But she would remain on it because as a warrior, her own personal honor dictated that she always finish what she started no matter what.

It also didn't hurt that she liked Hajime enough.

Hope - - - Despair

Hope's Peak Academy

Main Campus Grounds

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

Afternoon

Gundham had much to do regarding his own talent. Contrary to popular belief, being the Ultimate Breeder was more than merely interacting with all different animal species. He had to understand their behaviors, find out what type of foods fueled them the best, categorize them for further study, and discern which needed more attention.

His talent brought with it lots of work and reward hand in hand. He wouldn't pretend for one moment that it was easy to do what he did, but due to his incredible passion for animals as well as his abilities allowing him to see things that no normal human could, he was able to persist and see many things.

Whatever the Forbidden One couldn't do on his own he had his agents across the world picking up the slack. These professionals and experts were trustworthy enough to be able to handle the delicate work that he needed done. Even though he couldn't leave Hope's Peak Academy just yet, there was still plenty being done.

Meanwhile, Gundham spent whatever time he could with the rest of his classmates. A bunch of lowly humans many of them were, but he did admit that some of them had their uses and even a couple of them amused him. Only one he could say stood on the very same ground as he did, although he would never admit that freely.

There was also the mere human from the Reserve Course, but calling him that would not be truthful. There was no denying that he was not as simple as his appearance suggested. Behind that plain exterior was something much more unique. There was no certainty as to whether or not it was good or bad, that much could not be determined yet. All that was certain was that this one possessed something unique.

Many of his fellow classmates seemed to think so as well. Even though school life continued on, he couldn't help but listen to the others and hear the name of Hajime Hinata many times over. It wasn't the only subject of conversation, but it was happening enough times for it to be noticeable.

Gundham crossed his arms and closed his eyes, trying to coalesce all of these thoughts into a more comprehensible idea. He was no expert in philosophy or human emotions and feelings, but he had an idea or two about why class 77-B seemed to have a lasting curiosity for their mutual friend in the Reserve Course. That unknown element within the human seemed to be drawing them all in. Everyone might have their own individual reasons for seeking it out, but whether they knew it or not, the point of origin was the same for everyone.

The Ultimate Breeder opened his eyes and took in the sights and sounds all around him. The academy was located very far away from what could be considered a legitimate sight of wild beauty untouched by civilization. That was one of the main drawbacks of living here, but he could deal with it in his own way.

"Gundham, what's up?" And speaking of Hajime. "You look… like you're thinking about something important."

"I was merely contemplating a few matters on my mind." Gundham casually spoke. "And here you appear before me, almost as if you were a spectre."

"Um, I don't think I'm a ghost." Hajime countered with a chuckle. "Although I guess that would be a cool ability to have."

"Indeed." Gundham grinned to himself. "Perhaps I will find the secret to obtaining an incorporeal form."

"Well… good luck with that." Hajime offered with some hesitation. "So… how exactly do you, you know, get to know animals better?"

This was a sudden switch of topic, but if his fellow classmate of Beacon Academy sought knowledge to further his connection to all life, then who was he, the Dark Lord, to deny a subject that was willing to learn?

"There is a process which I have learned, honed, and perfected with much time and practice." Gundham began to explain his secret technique. "The very first step involves your initial approach to the specimen that you intend to bond with. Whether you know it or not, your emotional state can be sensed by other life. Should you be in a state of happiness, it will be sensed, as will a state of anger."

"First step, be mindful of myself." Hajime summed up. "Got it. What's next?"

"Once you have made sure to mind yourself and conduct yourself in the most non-hostile way possible, you can then approach the specimen and attempt contact." Gundham closed his eyes as he recalled his many times doing this. "Speaking to them in a soft and hushed tone is my recommendation. You will be less likely to put them on edge."

"Okay, slow and steady." Hajime nodded in understanding. "Don't do anything sudden. Next?"

"You will then speak the words 'good girl, good girl.'" Gundham listed off. "Say it enough times and eventually, she will come to trust you and perhaps you may yet be able to 'speak' with her as well."

"Is there… something else I can say?" Hajime didn't appear enthusiastic about this step. "Like what if it's a boy or something?"

"If the specimen is male, you may say 'good boy, good boy.'" Gundham answered as if the answer was obvious. "But remember, regardless of what sex, you must be gentle and persistant. Only then will you gain their trust and be able to 'speak' to them."

"Right, yeah." Hajime scratched his head. "I got all of that, but… do you really think that I could do it?"

"One of my Dark Devas of Destruction has made his liking of you abundantly clear." Gundham narrowed his eyes at the human. "Is that not sufficient proof that your ability to interact with life is considerable?"

"Well, you've got a point there." Hajime conceded with a light sigh. "I guess I just need to get used to it. That's all. Yeah, I got this."

The Ultimate Breeder honestly believed himself capable of seeing things beyond the obvious. It was how he had learned to develop an affinity for studying animal life. His talent required him to notice the smallest of details because it was these small details that made all the difference in his results. To a certain extent, he could pick out some of the subtle behaviors in human behavior.

And right now, he was picking up on something akin to hesitation mixed with a myriad of other feelings. It was hard to say what exactly was being felt by his opposite.

"You seem less than certain about this." Gundham stated plainly. "Perhaps now is not an ideal time to begin training you in the secret technique of bonding?"

"...I think I'll decline for today." Hajime looked pained to say this. "It's nothing against you. I've just got a lot going on right now and I'm not sure how much more I can take on."

For a moment, the man who had sacrificed his arm pondered on these words. It took him a few more moments to find the true meaning and it was one he should have expected. Given his relationship with the rest of class 77-B, it was understandable if more than a few of them were sharing their talents with their mutual friend.

And why not? He might not have talent, but he had potential in a great many things. Surely the others saw the same thing in him.

"It would seem that we all have our limits." Gundham knew when to back down. "I was rather hasty in thinking that I was the only one who would reveal their talents."

Hajime blinked. "How'd you know about that?"

"My classmates speak much of you and what you do with them." Gundham informed. "You could say that all of them are eager to share what they have with whomever will listen, which is you."

"Oh, I see." Hajime sounded lackluster.

Talking about a relatively normal subject like this one was far out of the realm of animal expert. Speaking about life and discussing his other-worldly power, those were two things that he could go on about for days on end without pause, but when was the last time he had spoken about anything relating to the people around him. Even with the misfits that constituted his homeroom class, none of them spoke about intensely personal things.

But it was so easy speaking to Hajime about it and that made Gundham reexamine his viewpoint on his opposite. Could such a segway into this relatively forbidden area be a sign of something?

What did the others in 77-B think?

"We shall speak another time." Gundham decided to take his leave. "I shall depart this plane of existence and return to my own so that I may restore my power."

And so the Ultimate Breeder walked off without a further word. That had turned out a little awkward.

It would probably not be like this once they saw each other again.

Despair - - - Hope

Hope's Peak Academy

General School Grounds

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

Late Afternoon

A little over a month and half of time had passed since Hajime had first met Chiaki Nanami and in this short period of time, he had gotten acquainted and even befriended some of her classmates. He could only describe the experience as unexpected but not unwelcome. In fact, it would be more accurate to say that he was having a blast.

In a way, he could feel himself growing a little more with each day that passed. All of those fifteen students had so much to offer him in the way of things to do, skills to learn, and memories to share. He couldn't see this time as anything else other than an experience that he would recall for years to come and something told him this was just the beginning.

But despite his overall appreciation and fondness for the friends he was making and the memories he was making, one question lingered in his mind: why did the Ultimates want to dedicate any of their time teaching him the things they knew?

Out of politeness and admiration for them as people and for the sake of himself, Hajime was quick to take them up on their offers, even if his choice came with some reservations. If they saw potential in him, then who was he to judge or question them? He was a normal everyday guy who was fortunate enough to have met them. Opportunities like these didn't come along for everyone and they might never come along again, so it just felt like a good idea to seize them while he had the chance.

Be that as it may, the Reserve Course student still couldn't figure out the rationale for Class 77-B and its members' willingness to extend an invitation. He could only surmise that they saw something in him that even he couldn't see, but that made no sense in his mind. If he had the capacity to do great things, why was he only now discovering it? Why not years ago when he really needed the pick-me-up?

Hajime thought about these questions, but no answer could satisfy him. He knew that he was looking for a very clear and concise answer. Perhaps he was being selfish and looking for a specific answer. After all, he couldn't say that he wasn't biased when it came to matters relating to talent and those that wielded it. He couldn't help but admire the Ultimates as the pinnacle of what a person could do given the right set of genes and ideal circumstances, two things that he wished he had.

Many parts of him still longed for his own talent, to become a piece of hope to help the world see through the darkness. It was naive not to mention foolish, but he still believed it was a dream worth pursuing. Hope's Peak Academy was built upon the idea of cultivating talent and then sending that talent off into the world to raise up Mankind with idols that others could look up to and trust, at least that's what felt like should happen.

"Deep in thought again, I see?" The familiarity of that voice didn't surprise him, even if it was unexpected. "You seem to do that a lot."

"Miss Yukizome." Hajime was quick to bow to her. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. What can I do for you?"

"What can you do for me?" The homeroom teacher parried his words, then responded. "How about being a conversation buddy?"

"Okay." The student agreed.

The two of them took a seat at the nearby bench. It always felt like they were going to go in length about something. Deep discussions between the two of them seemed an inevitable path. It was a stark contrast to the more casual and often eccentric interactions that the Ultimates presented.

"So, what's it about this time?" Miss Yukizome started. "I can probably give you advice if nothing else."

"...why do you guys spend time with me?" Hajime questioned, then revised. "I mean, why do you guys want to take time out of the day just to do whatever with me?"

"You're asking this question now?" Chisa laughed at this. "I thought we were over this phase."

"I'll be the first to admit that I'm not over the inferiority complex, but that's not what I'm getting at." Hajime needed to keep focused. "I just want to know what makes you and your students so willing to do stuff with me? I'm actually curious."

"Why do we do it?" Miss Yukizome, for a moment, turned her eyes to the space in front of them, then quickly reestablished eye contact. "Because we want to, silly. There's no deeper meaning than that. Surely, you understand just wanting to be with someone."

"Okay, you have a point." Hajime could understand the sentiment. "But, I just feel like there's something I'm missing, something more to it."

"Stop being such a worry wart." Chisa pinched his cheek. "We like you and we like spending time with people we like. What more do you need?"

"Okay, okay, I get it." Hajime swatted her hand away from him. "You guys like me, end of story. I won't ask again, kay?"

"Now that's more like it." Miss Yukizome's trademark smile was both nice to look at yet also annoying too. "Now that we've got that settled, who'd you spend time with today?"

"Today, only Gundham." Hajime reported. "It was okay, I guess, kind of weird how it ended, but it could have been worse."

"What happened?" Chisa scooted over a little closer to him.

"It started off as normal as it could get considering it's Gundham and he can be very inventive." Hajime explained. "But when I declined to learn about his taming technique, things just kind of went downhill."

"In what way?" Miss Yukizome pressed.

Hajime frowned. "I don't know, maybe he was thinking what I was thinking. Maybe he sensed doubt in me about how I do all sorts of things with the Ultimates. Or maybe it's because I've taken so much stuff that I don't want to get overloaded. I'm just one guy. There's only so much I can myself."

"But you've taken it all with a smile so far." Chisa countered. "What's one or two more things that just happen to be fun?"

"Point." Hajime said.

As he had said to himself many times before, being busy was preferable to being bored. A mind with nothing to do often found itself in deep and murky waters that could be hard to escape from. In that respect, it was a good thing that there was less of that happening in exchange for more doing.

But simply taking a leap of faith and then just making it up as he went along wasn't going to cut it forever. There needed to be a plan of action, something tangible for him to grasp as a personal ultimate goal. Right now, he had a vague vision of what his future looked like. He wanted to become an Ultimate and his choices and in a way, he could be seen as squandering his chances by simply doing what he was doing now.

Which led him to another question: why was the school administration not contacting about all of this? They had allowed him onto the main campus grounds without much hassle and not once since had they contacted him, not even to confirm his decision regarding the Hope Cultivation Plan. Did that mean the plan was shelved or delayed?

Getting into contact with the headmaster seemed in order.

"Hajime." Miss Yukizome's singy voice cut through his mulling. "You're doing it again."

"Huh?" Hajime reacted slowly. "Sorry, what were we talking about?"

"We were talking about you and my students." Chisa reminded him. "Did you forget already? What were you thinking about this time?"

As much as it would be interesting to bounce this topic off of the bubbly homeroom teacher, he had sworn an oath to secrecy not to mention signing a document. It would be bad news for him if he spilled.

"Nothing really." Hajime played it off with a truth. "Just thinking about the future and where I want to go."

"That sounds real heavy." Miss Yukizome commented. "You sure you don't want to talk to me about it?"

"As fun as it is to learn from the masters, the student's got to distinguish himself from his master." Hajime firmly responded. "It's just how it is."

Leaning back into his seat, the brunette boy closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, bearing in mind the lessons that Peko had taught him. Taking a moment to rest like this was nice. While he was doing his best to get at least seven hours of sleep a night, he felt like he could fall asleep right here and now.

Was he going to do just that right now?

That didn't seem like a really good move to make considering that a teacher was right next to him. Yes, she probably wouldn't mind if he did, but it was more a matter of being at least somewhat respectful of rules.

He kept his eyes closed and his breathing normalized.

Hope - - - Despair

Hope's Peak Academy

General School Grounds

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

Earlly Evening

Chisa watched him as he drifted off, probably not even realizing that he had done so. His face receded into a quiet and straight one, his head leaning forward slightly and his body slouched forward a bit. It was honestly not a position that anyone should be in for too long. It was going to leave some soreness later.

The sun was setting and soon, it would be dark out. The orange surrounding the two of them was occasionally pierced with the blackness of the shadows that dotted the area every so often, a picturesque scene to be sure.

The reason that the former Ultimate Housekeeper was checking her surroundings was because she was ensuring that there was no one around. In any setting, be it school or work, professionalism and distance from students and coworkers was essential. She too was held to that standard, but more often than not, she disobeyed this rule in favor of more personal relationships with her students and Hajime was no exception.

Once she was sure that she wasn't going to get in trouble, she carefully moved herself next to him so that he didn't wake up. Then, with as much care and grace as she could muster, she gently adjusted his body so that he was laying on his back on the bench and placed his head on her lap.

Chisa was most definitely breaking some rules here, but she didn't care. It just felt like the right thing to do.

The teenage boy stirred a little, but otherwise remained fast asleep. Looking down at him, she couldn't help but feel warm feelings inside. He really was doing his best considering his circumstances. Where others in the Reserve Course ridiculed him for reaching for the stars, he still continued on. In that sense, his strength was beyond average, a concept that felt foreign to himself.

She then began combing a hand through his hair. The feeling was soft to the touch and the feeling within her remained. If this was what it felt like to nurture someone in a more literal sense, then she just might want to consider babysitting. Or it could be that because she held a definitive positive opinion of Hajime, she was willing to do this. She did care for his well being and she did want him to succeed.

Then a bitter thought returned to her. Using him to discover the truth behind Hope's Peak Academy. Could she do it?

Many times, she would have said yes, convinced herself that she wasn't going to hurt the boy. He was simply being used for information in order to further her investigation. His involvement didn't run any deeper than that. It was something she repeated like a mantra many times as she continued to run her hand through his hair and observe his sleeping face.

This right here was the future. The children of today were going to become the adults of tomorrow and depending on how they turned out, it was going to affect the nation, maybe even the world to a degree.

"I'm so sorry." Chisa whispered to him.

I've got a big announcement. I'm joining the United States Army. For more details, see my profile page.

I've come to realize just how slow this story is turning out to be. I mean, that's kind of the point, but that's kind of amazing. If I'm not careful, this could turn into a very long story fast. We're still going to have plenty of interactions between Hajime and his classmates, but I'm to start introducing some more serious plot points.

Thoughts? Reviews are always appreciated.

Thanks for reading.

"To love is to act."

Victor Hugo