Chapter 2: Introductions of Class 78
Makoto and Ren walked through their dorm as they made their way to the main area. Ren watched Makoto out of the corner of his eye after his little episode from before, but noticing him looking stiff.
"Naegi?" He questioned as he snapped out of it. "What's up? Another episode?"
Makoto realized how he must've seemed for a few seconds as he shook his head. "No nothing, Akutagawa." He told him, but Ren's eyebrow rose at him. "Okay guess I'm nervous to be meeting our classmates. I mean many of them have talents that make them unique and I'm just…me."
"What's the matter with that?" Ren questioned him making him look. "Hey, my talent I hardly think is real either, remember?" He reminded him. "It's not the talent that makes a person special, Naegi. It's the person themselves and the actions they make that I find more important. To me I think there's really more to you than you think and I'm sure you know it too."
Makoto stared at him a moment and smiled a bit at him chuckling. "That's actually pretty deep, Akutagawa. You sure your talent isn't about pep talks or something?"
Ren chuckled ruffling his hair. "That does sound better doesn't it? But still don't let this bug you." He told him again as they were close to the main room. "Sure, we may all be 'Ultimate', but we're still people."
Makoto looked and nodded to that before they entered through the door and soon had fifteen other people seeing them coming in. Makoto tensed again before Ren placed a hand on his shoulder reassuringly.
"Hey check it out, the final two are here." One of the students with a large afro said. He seemed to be much older than the rest.
"Yes so that makes 17." A girl with black hair said. "Though I assumed classes stopped at 16."
"I believe there was an exception this year." The lavender haired girl mentioned looking to Ren.
Ren felt uncomfortable by it as he looked away as Makoto noticed before he cleared his throat to speak.
"Uh it's nice meeting you all. I'm Makoto Naegi." He spoke up to clear the tension. "I'm the Ultimate Lucky Student." He scratched his cheek looking at Ren.
Ren saw as he turned back also clearing his throat. "And I'm Ren Akutagawa. Ultimate, though totally made up, Wild Card. Pleasure to meet you all."
"With that let us begin introductions!" The young man with spiked black hair and wearing a white uniform said.
Soon everyone spilt up around the room as Ren nodded to Makoto before walking off also leaving him alone. He looked before the same teen walked to him.
He had black spiked hair and red eyes. He was wearing a clean white uniform with gold buttons. An armband on his left arm read 'Hall Monitor' on it along with a gold medal and a red ribbon pinned on his pocket.
"My name is Kiyotaka Ishimaru, the Ultimate Moral Compass! I believe in following the rules for the betterment of society! Let us work together in making this an excellent year!" He declared as he held out his hand to Makoto.
"Of course. So you're the Ultimate Moral Compass." Makoto shook his hand. "I read about you on the forums. You held top honors at the private school you went to before coming here right?"
"Indeed! I've also been president of the public moral committee since middle school."Kiyotaka nodded ending his handshake with Makoto. "And from what I heard your Makoto Naegi. Yes that's a very strong name! Be sure you prove yourself worthy of it!"
"R-Right." Makoto said nodding his head slowly as Kiyotaka walked off from him. 'Okay I might have headaches with him a little. He's a bit intense.' He walked to meet the rest of his classmates. Just as he was someone came up to him.
This time it was a girl. A pretty blue haired girl with her hair reaching down her back. Her eyes were the same blue color. She was wearing a white sailor uniform.
She had on a blue skirt with a pink ribbon on the front along with dark blue socks along with brown shoes.
"Is that really you, Naegi?" She questioned smiling at him as Makoto looked. "You remember me right? We went to the same middle school?"
"Maizono?" He questioned surprised. "O-Of course I remember you!" He said to her. It wasn't hard for anyone to know who she was as Sayaka Maizono was a famous teen pop idol in Japan. "Though I'm surprised that you remember me though."
Sayaka giggled a bit at him. "Of course I remember you, silly. After all we did go to the same school for three years."
"Oh believe me I remember." Makoto told her holding his head. "It's just you were so popular and well I was the complete opposite." He admitted sheepishly blushing a bit looking to the girl. 'She's so pretty, almost like a doll.'
"Naegi I'm not a doll. I'm very much alive!" She told him as he looked surprised at her.
"O-Oh crap! Did I say that outloud?!" He yelped in shock that she heard that.
She shook her head before speaking in a serious tone. "I'm psychic." He looked at her surprised of hearing that before she smiled giggling at him. "Just kidding, I just have good intuition." She then smiled at him again. "But still I'm glad to have someone I know here. When this is over we should hang out."
It took his brain a minute to restart as he smiled nodding to that. "S-Sounds great, Maizono. Akutagawa and I were gonna explore more around after this. Meet us then."
She nodded going off as he watched her go off to meet the rest. He went off also to meet the rest.
Ren had just talked with Kiyotaka as he had noticed Makoto talking with Sayaka and chuckled amused from Makoto getting flustered around her.
'Maybe I should teach him to talk to girls.' He mentioned before someone stepped up to him. A little close for his comfort to be exact.
She wore a custom made uniform which consisted of a black cardigan and white dress shirt under it, but was unbuttoned to show her bra under it with a white tie worn loosely around her neck along with a red mini skirt and high heeled black boots. The outfit did compliment her hourglass figure. Her long blonde hair was in two pigtails with a red bow and bunny clip accessory to hold them along with blue eyes that observed him closely, but held something else making him uneasy even if she was very pretty.
"Could you maybe, back up a little, please?" He questioned her feeling his space compromised.
She eventually did flashing him a smile that held mischief to it. "Oh sorry, just observing you more closely was all." He felt that wasn't all before she continued. "Anyway, nice meeting you! Junko Enoshima's my name! Charmed, I'm sure!"
He admitted she was…enthusiastic at least. He knew her as she was well known as a fashion model who took all of Japan and the world by storm for a variety of reasons.
He shook his head. "Well then it's nice to meet you, Enoshima-san. I'm Ren Akutagawa, the Wild Card." He said the last bit without much enthusiasm.
"Wild Card, huh? I'd like to know more on that one." She said intrigued a bit. "You called that cause your preference changes so suddenly?"
"Well I wouldn't say that specifically." He responded. He wasn't even fond of the title to begin with. "Just never really decided on a club fulltime. Keep options open."
Junko looked at him before shrugging. "Eh I guess I can accept that. It was fun talking with you though, Akutagawa-kun." She said with the honorific spoken with a slightly flirty tone to it as she continued looking into his face. "I look forward to learning more."
"Uh yeah sure." Ren said to her getting that uneasy feeling again before she grinned and walked off. He sighed in relief watching her go off. 'Why do I get a bad vibe from her?'
He shook it off somewhat as someone else came towards him. This one a teen male who looked like he fit the bill for a punk rocker. His inner shirt was white with a red splattered painting of a skull on the bottom with a white jacket with metal pins on it along with black pants with two leather belts and metal rings on all his fingers as well as white shoes with black laces. His hair also had a punk like feel with it being spiked up and a red tint with a small goatee with a band around it and silvery earrings in his ears.
"Yo! The name's Leon Kuwata, the Ultimate Baseball Star. What's up?" He grinned at him in a fierce, but friendly tone.
Ren looked confused with his title. "You're the Ultimate Baseball Star?" He questioned confused given his appearance. "You look a bit different from the picture I saw of you."
"You saw that?! Aw man!" Leon groaned at that as Ren looked. "I hate that picture! You have to shave your hair for a tournament. It was regulation." He continued to rant seeming to get more annoyed. "I'm never cutting my hair again. And I'm not dyeing it by to normal either!"
Ren blinked to him on that outburst. "Okay then, sounds like you feel strongly on that."
"Yeah well can I be honest with you for a second?" Leon asked him as Ren nodded. "I don't like baseball. At all. I never even went to practice."
That surprised Ren when he heard it. It seemed Leon's wins were from natural talent rather than practice. 'He's really planning to throw all that away?'
"So as soon as I got accepted here I quit the sport to focus on my new dream!" He stated to him smirking.
"New dream?" Ren questioned at hearing that. "And what might that be?"
"To get into music!" Leon stated with a fist pump making Ren blink. "I'm going to be a singer so all I need is someone to write my songs and a guitarist and I'm set, baby!" He stated.
"Well more power to you then, I suppose." Ren said to him still unsure of what to make of what he's hearing. 'I guess if he can figure what his path will be, then I can.'
"Thanks and it was great meeting you." Leon slapped a hand on Ren's shoulder. "It felt great telling someone about my dream. Catch you later!" He soon went off.
"Yeah see ya." Ren mentioned thinking over his talk with Leon a bit more before looking back in the crowd seeing the lavender haired girl talking with one of the others. 'I hope I can drag it out a bit before I have to talk to her.' He walked off to meet the rest.
Makoto was still walking around before being approached again. This time a guy stood over six feet tall he wore a black overcoat with dragon designs on it over a short sleeved white shirt as well as black baggy pants along with white loafers. His hair was styled as a dark brown pompadour. Makoto gulped a bit feeling intimidated.
"Name's Mondo Owada, the Ultimate Biker. Nice to fuckin' meet ya." He said in a tone that seemed more like his natural tone than him trying to be intimidating. Makoto still gulped a bit intimidated.
"I'm Makoto Naegi." He said bowing slightly in intimidation. "It's nice meeting you."
"Right on, little man. Catch ya around." He said before going off.
Makoto sighed in relief before being approached by a girl who seemed really upbeat. She had tan skin, bright blue eyes and brown hair that was tied up in a tear shaped ponytail. She had on a red gym jacket, a white tank top, a pair of blue gym shorts, a red band on her leg, and lime green sneakers.
"Heya! I'm Aoi Asahina, the Ultimate Swimming Pro, but my friends just call me Hina! Sup?" She greeted with a bright smile. Makoto noted how full of energy she seemed before she scratched her cheek embarrassed. "S-Sorry what was your name again?"
"Makoto Naegi." He introduced to her.
"That's it!" She said hearing it. "It was on the tip of my tongue." She said before she started tracing her palm with her finger.
Makoto blinked confused. "What are you doing?"
Hina looked at him. "Oh well it gets hard remembering everyone's names that I find when you write their name like this you can commit it to memory."
"Really?" He questioned hearing that. "That's pretty cool."
"Thanks!" She said smiling again before beginning to walk off. "See ya around, Makoto!"
'She's really full of energy.' He thought walking again only to soon be approached by the lavender haired girl. 'And there's the girl that was glaring at Akutagawa.'
"Problem?" He yelped when he saw her looking at him as if scrutinizing him.
He stuttered a bit. "N-No no problem!" He said quickly as he saw Ren giving him a signal to calm down before walking off. "A-And you are?"
"Kyoko Kirigiri." She answered simply. "Ultimate Detective."
"It's a pleasure." He said a little unnerved by how forward and cold she seemed. "I-I'm Makoto Naegi."
"Yes I heard that from when you and he entered in." She pointed out matter of factly while looking where Ren was as Makoto seemed to see something to her gaze. He couldn't pinpoint what though.
"D-Do you…know him or something?" Makoto questioned wondering why she was looking towards Ren. The glare she gave him made him shut his mouth.
"That's between Ren and myself." Kyoko told him simply before walking off to the next person and then Ren.
'She's intense. I can see why he could feel a little intimidated.' Makoto thought watching her go off before he realized something else. 'Wait did she call him Ren? How much does she know him to call him by his first name?'
He wondered as he walked off again since there were still more people to meet.
Ren walked to the next person for him to meet. This person was a short girl with light brown hair that was rather messy and medium in length. She was short, almost childlike as she nervously approached him. Her uniform was green while she wore a brown skirt along with black socks and white shoes. Lastly she had brown eyes that held a strong innocence to them.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Chihiro Fujisaki, the Ultimate Programmer." She said shyly. Ren was a bit surprised that she was the ultimate programmer, but he couldn't really judge. She blushed as she continued. "Sorry, I just get nervous when introducing myself."
Ren smiled a bit in a calm manner. "Hey don't sweat it, people get like that at times. It's natural."
That seemed to work as she gave a comforting smile to him. "Thanks. I hope we can get along."
"I hope so as well." Ren nodded to her at that seeing her go off before he was soon approached by another teen.
This one was rather heavy set with a simple grey jacket over a white long sleeved shirt along with black pants and white shoes as well as an orange tie with a blue arrow pointed upwards. An orange backpack was around his back with anime keychains dangling from it. He wore large round glassed on his face. His hair was black and smoothly combed while only a bit of it pointed upwards.
"I…am Hifumi Yamada, the Ultimate Fanfic Creator!" He said bowing to Ren before straightening up. "You must tell me how much you know of the world of 2D?"
"World of 2D?" Ren questioned blinking a bit.
"Well in that world I am well known as the Ultimate Fanfic Creator. I once sold thousands of copies of my work at a festival!" He said smugly, but proudly. "Though some people didn't get it. Ah well…I am sure if you observe my work you can comprehend its greatness immediately! For my work has a deeper meaning."
"And what meaning would that be?" Ren questioned confused.
It's all about embracing our base urges…" He said adjusting his glasses as Ren looked before cringing a bit inwardly. "If you are ever interested in my work look me up."
'I'm not sure I wanna read anything he writes that describes that.' Ren thought to himself as Hifumi walked off as he walked also.
The next person soon approached him. He had a tall and slim figure and wore an expensive looking black suit with a white shirt under it as well as a green criss cross tie. He had blonde hair and white glasses over his blue eyes. His arms were crossed and he radiated an aura of arrogance.
"I am Byakuya Togami, the Ultimate Affluent Progeny." He said to Ren with indifference.
'That explains the air of arrogance.' Ren snarked in his head as he knew of the Togami family's wealth and power. It would be hard pressed to find anyone who didn't. "Nice to meet you. I'm Ren Akutagawa."
"Yes the supposed Wild Card." He said condescendingly making Ren glare. "Of all the people so far I've met I'd say you and him are the lowest on the list."
Ren glared knowing he'd meant Makoto. He tried stopping his mouth, but didn't. "Yeah cause being a spoiled rich kid gets you so far." He said as Togami glared at that. "Just cause your family is rich doesn't exactly make you all that special. Especially in this school."
"Now you see…" Byakuya glared about to say before Ren cut him off abruptly.
"I think we're done. Goodbye." He said walking off leaving Byakuya fuming as he smirked.
"School hasn't even truly began and you've already got someone angry at you." He stopped at the voice and flinched.
'Shit.' He muttered turning to see Kyoko standing there with her arms crossed. 'I knew it wouldn't last.' He awkwardly turned his head from her when she stared at him. "Nice to meet you."
"The same to you." She said looking at him closely. "I get the distinction you wish not to be here."
'Not with you.' He said internally with a hint of anger, but kept it together and instead said. "Yeah since I feel like my so called talent isn't even a real one."
"Is that all?" Kyoko pressed on seeming to know more and he told himself that of course she did given her being a detective.
"Y-Yes t-that's all." He lied which he was sure she knew it was. He looked only seeing her with the same expression. 'Does she really know?'
Kyoko closed her eyes before going off. "Just don't cause any more trouble with anyone." She told him walking.
"Yes, Kirigiri-san." He said to her as he walked off not noticing her looking back to him a bit.
Makoto was meeting with the rest of his classmates as he was soon approached by a girl who wore a traditional black with white outlined sailor uniform with a red sash around her neck collar with her skirt being longer than most normal uniforms. Her hair was long dark brown and tied into two huge braids. She had big round glasses over her nervous grey eyes as she looked to Makoto.
"N-Not that you'll remember it, but I'm T-Toko Fukawa…the Ultimate Writer…" She said nervously to him. Makoto looked to her remembering reading about her on the forum about how she was a literary genius who managed to publish her first masterpiece at ten. He didn't think she'd be so shy though. "Stop staring at me like that." She said breaking him out of his thoughts. "Don't you know it's rude to stare?" She poked her fingers together as Makoto looked embarrassed and was about to apologize. "Stop staring at me as if I were a filthy creature!"
"F-Filthy creature! No, I just thought-"Makoto said trying to diffuse the misunderstanding, but she just got angrier.
"I-I know what you 'just' thought…!" She glared murderously at the boy making him nervous. "You just thought you'd never seen such an ugly woman before! You thought it w-was so f-funny!"
"N-No I didn't think anything like that!" Makoto said defensively holding his hands up.
"D-Don't bother trying to lie to me!" She pointed an accusing finger at him making him flinch. "I know you can't stand the s-sight of me! W-Well whatever, I don't really care…I'm used to it." She walked off.
Makoto watched her go off with a mixture of confusion and sympathy. Clearly she had some serious inferiority complex.
"Yo, don't let it get to ya, brah. She was like that with a few other people too." Makoto turned to the voice.
He had a spiky and wild afro that was dark brown and stubble. He looked older than the rest of the students. He wore three layers of shirts the top being an old dark green uniform jacket that he wore like a cape, the second being a white shirt and under that a yellow short sleeved shirt with baggy green pants with a brown sash with a yellow rope to hold it up along with flip flops.
"Yo! Names Yasuhiro Hagakure. Hiro for short." He grinned at Makoto. "I'm the Ultimate Clairvoyant. Hope you're taking it easy, I know I am."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Makoto Naegi, the Ultimate Luck." Makoto introduced to him. He recalled reading a little bit about Hiro being a big deal in the spiritual community and had been known to get some of his predictions correct without trouble, while others…not so much.
"Cool brah." Hiro grinned to him before seeming to see something.
"Uh something wrong?" Makoto questioned confused by him seeming to space out.
"You don't notice?" Hiro questioned pointing above him as Makoto looked. "There's some demonic angel over you."
"Huh?" Makoto looked not seeing anything. "I don't see anything. What do you even mean?"
Hiro looked but shook his head. "M-Maybe it's nothing, but I've been getting those vibes from around everyone lately. It's really strange, brah."
"Uh yeah sure." Makoto said seeing Hiro go off. 'Kay that wasn't weird at all.' He walked off to meet with the next student and gulped a bit.
The next student was probably the most intimidating of the group. She towered over the other students in size and muscle with scars over her body to make her seem fiercer. Her hair was long and white and she wore a sailor uniform that was torn at the sleeves along with a black skirt as well as wrappings around her arms. While her eyes were blue which gave a calm presence to her.
Makoto gulped a bit. "Hello I'm Makoto Naegi. Nice to meet you."
She nodded with a hint of a smile on her face. "It is nice to meet you as well, Naegi. I am Sakura Ogami, the Ultimate Martial Artist." Now that name rang a bell with Makoto as he remembered reading on her in the forums about how she'd never lost a match. She observed him a bit and poked at his side. "As I thought your body is of an average high schooler. Not enough to be my sparring partner."
Makoto gulped to that. 'I don't think I'd be a good one either way.' He thought as she walked off.
The next girl that approached Makoto was another interesting one, which is saying something. She had pale skin and red eyes almost like a vampire. She had black hair with twin drill like pigtails to them. Her fingernails were painted with a shiny onyx color while her right hand had a silver claw like ring on it. She wore a gothic Lolita style dress which included a white blouse along with a black jacket with white ribbon lacing around the sleeves along with a red tie with a butterfly pattern on it along with a black skirt with many tiers to it.
"A pleasure to meet you. I am Celestia Ludenburg, the Ultimate Gambler, but just Celeste will do." She said to him smiling. Though he sensed it was anything but a friendly one. It was one of those ones meant to deceive and gain trust.
"N-Nice to meet you." Makoto said feeling uneasy. Celeste was known as the Queen of Liars, who had never lost a bet in her life with much of her being veiled in lies. "Out of curiosity you are Japanese right?" He asked curiously.
"Of course, why do you ask?" She questioned with a measured smile.
"It's just that I was wondering if that was your real name. It sounds very European." He mused to her.
"Heh-heh, I don't know what you mean. Celestia Ludenburg is my real name." She said to him chuckling, but the way she said it made him leave it alone. "I look forward to getting to know you better." She told him going off.
He shook off the feeling of unease as he walked off as there was one student left. She was standing in the corner even when everyone else was moving around. She had short, jet black hair with light grey eyes and freckles across her face. She wore a simple white button down shirt with a red ribbon tied around her neck and brown skirt. She also had what looked like a wolf tattoo on her hand.
Makoto looked as he walked to her. "Uh hey there, I'm Makoto Naegi." He said smiling. "Nice meeting you."
She looked at him hesitantly for a second before speaking up. "Mukuro Ikusaba, the Ultimate Soldier."
Makoto thought as he didn't recognize her name or talent from the forums. He only wondered how she'd gotten a title like that. As he was musing this Ren came up to them.
"Oh hey Akutagawa." He smiled seeing him.
"Hey Naegi." Ren smiled to him before looking to Mukuro. "And you are?"
"Mukuro Ikusaba, Ultimate Soldier." She said to him simply almost like with Makoto. "I think you met my sister already."
"Huh?" They looked before she pointed as they followed her finger to Junko talking to Sayaka.
"Enoshima-san and you are sisters?" Makoto questioned surprised looking at Mukuro who simply nodded to that. "Wow."
"Well must take a lot to live with her and her…colorful personality, huh?" Ren looked at Mukuro who just shrugged.
"Sounds nice. Well it was nice meeting you, Ikusaba-san." Makoto smiled walking off with Ren. Unknown to both that Mukuro blushed a bit from Makoto smiling at her. Makoto looked Ren. "So what do you think?"
"I'd say our classmates are an interesting bunch." Ren told him as they were walking to the door. "Togami kind of rubs me the wrong way though."
"We might never actually get along with him will we?" Makoto questioned getting a shrug in response before he wondered something from before. "Oh by the way, Kirigiri-san seemed to know you. Even referred to you by your first name." He told him as Ren tensed a bit. "What's that about? Do you two know each other before this?"
"I-It was probably just a slip of the tongue or something." Ren said to him darting his eyes away making Makoto confused before he changed the subject. "So I saw your conversation with Maizono-san. First time actually holding a conversation with a girl?" He asked and smirked at his flustered reaction.
"W-Well it's just I guess I-I wasn't expecting her to remember me. I mean I'm just me like I said." Makoto told him.
Ren sighed at him. "Makoto, we're gonna have to work on that confidence of yours."
Makoto looked at him at that before noticing what he said. "Hey you called me by my first name."
"Well sure, we're friends now aren't we?" Ren questioned smiling at him placing an arm around his neck.
"I-I guess we are, Akuta-Ren." Makoto replied correcting himself. "Might take some getting used to though."
"Yeah you'll get used to it." Ren told him keeping an arm around him. "Stick with me, kid. I'll make you more confident."
Makoto smiled to hearing that as he nodded as they were close to the door and going to look around the rest of the school.
"Hang on a second, you two!" They stopped before looking seeing Sayaka running to catch up.
"Maizono!" Makoto said surprised.
"Hey what's up?" Ren questioned releasing Makoto.
Sayaka caught up and smiled. "Well I'm going with you two to look around. Naegi-kun said I could join you guys."
"Really?" Ren questioned looking to his friend who turned scratching his cheek nervously. Ren smirked a bit getting a thought. "Well if that's the case then you two can look around then."
"Huh?" Makoto looked at him. "W-What do you?"
"I mean I'm sure you two have some catching up to do from what I heard." Ren said to them both as they exited out of the dorm.
"Oh I suppose so." Sayaka smiled to hearing that.
"W-Wait." Makoto tried to say as Ren was already walking off. "Ren?!"
"Let's meet up at the cafeteria later, alright?!" He called waving to them both. "See ya, buddy!"
Makoto tried to call out more before sighing. 'Jeez that guy. Why would he do that?' He thought before looking back at Sayaka chuckling and rubbing the back of his head nervously. "So I guess it's just us."
"Looks like it." She smiled before taking his hand. "Well let's go!"
"Whoa!" He yelped when she pulled him as they began their tour of the campus.
Ren meanwhile walked and looked back seeing them go off. "Sorry, Makoto, but this is the beginning of your lessons to more confidence.' He thought to himself before he yelped as he ran into someone who nearly fell over. "O-Oh I'm so sorry!"
"Oh don't worry about it." A girl's soft voice told him steadying herself. "I wasn't looking where I was going."
"Neither was I, I was…" Ren began before cutting himself off. "N-Never mind. Are you alright?"
She stood up straight now and lifted her head making Ren blush a bit. Her eyes were a light amber color which complimented well with her hair which was black and silky going down her back with bangs that framed her face which Ren thought was beautiful. She wore a tan blouse with a black skirt and jacket as well as brown boots. She also seemed to be carrying a black violin case.
"I'm fine. Don't worry." She said smiling at him as he blushed more from it. "I didn't hurt you did I?"
Ren snapped out of it quickly and tried to play it calm. "N-No I'm fine, also." He said to himself as he cursed himself for talking about Makoto being bad with girls. He cleared his throat. "Again I'm sorry. I was just thinking of something." He told her as she seemed to accept that as he looked relieved before introducing himself. "I'm Ren. Ren Akutagwa, Ultimate Wild Card."
"It's nice to meet you." She smiled shaking his hand. "My name is Sherry Hinawa, Ultimate Violinist."
Ren looked to the case as it explained everything. He recalls reading on her for the forums. She was probably one of the most well-known music based talents of this school aside from Sayaka.
"Great to meet you also, Hinawa-san." Ren told her before wondering. "So what class are you part of?"
"78-A. You?" She questioned as she didn't see him around that dorm.
"78-B." Ren answered.
"Really? So then the classes are a bit uneven then, huh?" Sherry questioned on that. "Since that means there are 17 of you."
"Yeah I know, I'm still trying to figure that reason." He mentioned to her as his thoughts when to Kyoko and the Headmaster. 'Though I probably can draw one conclusion.' He then shook that off. "So what were you doing around here?"
"Exploring, like I'm sure you are." Sherry told him before suggesting. "Since that's the case how about we look together?"
"Together?" Ren questioned by her suggestion considering she'd just met him and all.
"Sure you can consider it an apology for running into me." She teased him sticking her tongue out.
Ren chuckled to that. "A-Alright then, Hinawa-san, let's go."
Sherry nodded as they walked as she looked to him. "And you don't need to use the Hinawa-san. I'm fine with people calling me Sherry."
Ren looked to her. "Well alright, Sherry. Then just call me Ren."
"Alright then, Renny!" She smiled at him while he stared blankly from the nickname.
'Renny?' He questioned in his thoughts.
As they were both looking around, so were Makoto and Sayaka who still kept a hand on his. Makoto was blushing at this heavily.
"U-Uh M-Maizono-san?" He said stuttering a bit at her. "How long do you plan on holding my hand?" He gulped looking down at their hands.
"Why? Is there a problem?" Sayaka questioned him looking back making him sputter.
"W-Well no! I mean sort of!" He said blushing heavily. "I mean aren't you worried that people might get the wrong idea of us or something?" He questioned looking away.
"Let them draw conclusions." She smiled to him making him surprised. "They can say whatever they like. Just ignore them."
Makoto looked at her before nodding slowly and smiled. "Alright then if you say so." He told her though he still had some worries. Soon he groaned as he held his head while Sayaka turned to him.
"Naegi-kun?" She questioned worried seeing him clutching his head in pain. "Are you alright? Should we?"
"N-No it's fine!" He said to her quickly as the pain ebbed away. "I'm fine really." He tried to sound reassuring to her.
Sayaka still looked worried for him but seemed to accept that before they continued walking as Makoto was thinking of why this kept happening.
'Is this because of that dream I had before?' He wondered in his mind before feeling the pain again as he felt himself falling with the only thing he heard before blacking out was Sayaka calling his name.
Makoto groaned as he woke up. He looked seeing the place was familiar, but not as before. Instead he looked like he was in a court room with a podium in front of him.
"Is this?" He questioned before a voice spoke up.
"Welcome back to the Velvet Room, my young guest." He looked to the front seeing the familiar long nosed man sitting there with only the shorter platinum blonde girl next to the desk.
And Makoto has re-entered into the Velvet Room with only Igor and Lavenza to greet him this time. Yes he's there guest not Ren. Sherry Hinawa is an OC character who will be serving as Ren's main love interest and of the 78-A class
Next time after waking up and meeting other faces the next day comes and so does the first day of school where strange things begin to happen as well as the appearance of another P5 character. A certain Detective Prince (No not Naoto)
Now someone asked if Hajime and the 77th class will be part of this and I'm debating it same with 'Class 79' (i.e. V3's cast) on them joining into the cause. Especially since in this chapter only Lavenza appears before Makoto, so where could the other three be?
Also I was thinking to add the Strega trio as antagonists and working as part of the conspiracy or as a solo group of sorts. What do you think?
I also need help with coming up with codenames for the Thieves as well as if all of them should have canon Personas or some canon and others made up. Let me know. And the first heist will happen soon depending if I can figure who the target should be. Give me some thoughts.
And a final note is concerning a primary pairing with Makoto. Just cause Sayaka is the first to be around him, doesn't mean she's the final choice. So ladies and gentlemen who should it be? Or should Makoto be a true Persona protag and go for the harem route? Give me your thoughts to these questions and I will see you all next time!
