A/N: Hello everyone and welcome to Chapter 36 of The End of Hope's Peak Academy.
This will be the first chapter of the small beach mini arc that I will be working on. This arc will be around two or three chapters, maybe four depending on How I'm feeling. I'll only be covering a few events here and there but not a day to day event list. I am rather focused on the endgame of this story, so I just want to hurry and get to it, but I want to take my time developing everything as well as I can.
This part of the story is of course the obligatory Beach arc, where the cast enjoys themselves at the beach, has some fun, play some fucked up games, get a bit tipsy and maybe score a little. I will be sure to include as many of the stereotypical stuff, like the Kings Game, maybe another round of Truth or Dare, some beach stuff, maybe even some kinky stuff if I'm up for it. But this is just a set up for the beginning of the end for the story. After this arc, we will begin going downhill toward inevitable despair, so I want to milk these days as much as I can as we begin to transition from Hope to Despair, or as Nagito would say, Kibou to Zetsubou...I should add more Kibou in there, but eh...who cares.
So for now, enjoy this chapter as it does contain some funny situations. Also, there are references in this chapter to another popular video game series, and even a movie, so if you can guess them correctly, you will get a shoutout next chapter!
Without further ado, here is Chapter 36 of The End of Hope's Peak Academy.
I wasn't going to do this, but the Song of the Day for today will be Hope Blooms, which is sung by Megumi Ota, the Japanese voice for Nagito Komaeda. This song is so fucking good, it is perfect and it truly does feel like Nagito is singing it. I understand about half of the lyrics, but you can tell that it is a Nagito Komaeda song just from how much emotion is put into it. Kibou is also said a lot, so it definitely suits his character...do give it a listen. This song is actually the ending to The End of Hope's Peak Academy Zetsubou-Hen, so you have heard it before. Just listen to the full version this time around.
The End of Hope's Peak Academy
Zetsubou-Hen
Chapter 36
Road Trip
It had been over a month since Daisuke and Hiyoko's engagement, and the two couldn't be any happier. They had started discussing wedding plans already, but both had decided to hold off until after their graduation to get married. This was also in case they fell out of love with each other in the future. Of course both assured that wouldn't be the case. Sonia had been very happy for them as well, and had made arrangements to plan something in Novoselic as soon as they all graduated. The Ultimate Story Teller had gotten the Princess a silver locket, so she wouldn't be left out. She had been very grateful, and had showed her appreciation in a very sexy way.
It had been a few days after Class 75's graduation, ending the semester for the entire school. Most if not all the students had left for their summer vacations, the only ones sticking around being students who couldn't remotely go home or didn't live nearby. The academy was empty, but the faculty was as active as normal, something that made Daisuke rather worried. He had been keeping eyes and ears everywhere around the school, in case he heard information about the Hope Cultivation Program, sadly everyone was tight lipped. He had seen someone heading into an elevator that was hidden on the first floor. It was blocked by a pair of crimson double doors, but access was restrained to certain individuals. There was nothing he could do about it, nor could he get access to it, so he decided not to worry about it.
It was May 17, a beautiful sunny day, and it was rather early, around seven in the morning. Daisuke himself had been packing some clothes for their summer trip to the beach house. While they had received tickets for the nearby amusement park good for a week, they had all decided to stay for the entire summer. After all, it was a beach house that wasn't going to be used by the owner at all. They might as well take the chance.
He set down his duffle bag, grabbing all of his other necessities, shoving them into his messenger bag. He made sure his book was safely inside, along with his personal copy of Distrust. He placed his chargers and other things inside, having already packed his gaming system into his duffle bag. Chiaki had already decided to bring her own systems for them to use while they were there. It was going to be a fun time.
Sonia finally left the bathroom, after a few minutes of preparation. She had tied her hair up into a ponytail. She was wearing a white bikini top, with bright green markings on it. She wore a pair of dark green shorts and some high heel wedges. She checked over her bags for a few seconds, grabbing her sunglasses from her bed, along with her sun hat.
"You look ready for the beach." Daisuke said, eyeing his girlfriend hungrily. She smirked, spinning around.
"Do you like it? I picked it out just for you." she said, giving him a wink. He rolled his eyes.
"I love anything you wear sweetheart." he said. He grabbed his button down plaid shirt and put it on, buttoning it up half way. He slung his messenger bag over his shoulder, shoving his phone in the pocket of his shorts, along with his keys.
"It took me forever to get that sunscreen on me, but we should be fine until we get to the beach. How are we getting there again?" Sonia asked.
"I'm borrowing Sayaka's tour bus and driving us all the way to the beach. We'll be leaving Tokyo entirely, since this place is in Yokosuka so it'll be a long drive. We're planning on stocking up while on the road so we don't have to buy stuff there." he replied, grabbing the bus keys from the top of his dresser.
"I forgot you got Sayaka to give us use of her bus...wait isn't she coming along?"
"With Hisashi and Kotoko as well, figured we could include them in our little trip. Chisa showed me pictures of this place, she called it a beach house, but it's more like a fucking mansion. It's big enough for all of us and few others as well...this Munakata guy must be fucking loaded." he said, a grin on his face.
"I've read so much about Yokosuka. Do you think we could visit the museum while we're there? Oh and the Naval Base?" she asked, a puppy look on her face. He rolled his eyes.
"Yes, it's on the schedule. We have one month of vacation time, so let's enjoy it alright? We have to be back here by July 4th in order to make it back before school starts." he said, grabbing a hold of his duffle bag.
He placed it on top of her suitcase, grabbing a hold of the handle. He was at least glad it had wheels on it. He walked toward the door, throwing the door open, just in time to see Hiyoko and Mikan leave their room.
"Oh hey, you guys all set?" Hiyoko asked, earning nods from the two.
"Mhmm, just about...we just gotta head to the bus and kick off our adventure." he said, glancing at the girl.
She was wearing a pale yellow bikini, hidden under a white tee shirt, though he could see the straps of it. She was wearing a loose white skirt and a pair of yellow sandals. She had a big pair of white sunglasses on her face, shielding her eyes entirely.
Mikan however was dressed rather differently. While she still had her bandages on, she hadn't been wearing anything, aside from her swimsuit, a crimson bikini, which was rather tight on her. She had a matching bikini bottom, hidden behind a see through wrap, which had bright hibiscus flowers printed on it. She like Hiyoko was wearing a pair of sandals. She had a large violet suitcase in her hands, along with a white medical bag.
"Both of you look nice." he said.
"Thank you Daisuke, you don't have to be so nice to me though." Mikan said bashfully.
"Yes I do, you look cute in that bikini. Let's head out, the others are already packing the bus up." he said, walking toward the stairs.
"Sweetheart, do you know how to drive a bus?" Sonia cried.
"Of course, it's like driving a really big Pinto." he replied, walking down the stairs.
They said their goodbyes to a few of their friends, before heading toward the front entrance of the academy. It would be a month and a few weeks before they would be seeing the academy once more. They cut across the east part of the campus, heading toward the parking lot where the Coach bus had been parked.
Sayaka had been nice enough to let them use one of her buses. She had a larger one for when she did tours all over Japan, but that one had her face and name on it, and she didn't want people to bother them while they were on vacation. The bus was parked near the back of the academy, and it was a bright silver color, with large tinted glass windows. It was 45 feet long and 102 inches wide. It had twelve beds, along with twelve additional seats, enough for all of them, though some would have to share beds. It had a fully functioning kitchen, bathroom, television and anything else six pop stars could need while on the road.
Nekumaru was standing on the side of it with a few of their friends, packing all of their luggage into the storage compartment. He was wearing nothing but his running pants, and a pair of wooden sandals. Kazuichi was standing next to him, a few oil marks on his hands. He was wearing his normal jump suit, and had a wrench in his hands. They looked up, greeting them all.
"What's up guys? Can't fit everything in?" Daisuke teased, placing his and Sonia's luggage into the empty space. He did the same with Mikan and Hiyoko's things, though the nurse kept a hold of her medical bag.
"Nah, we're just doing some checks. Figured I would take a look at the engine, change the oil, all that stuff. Everyone else is already inside, including Sayaka, Hisashi, Kotoko and surprisingly enough, Makoto." Kazuichi said.
"M-Makoto is here too?" Mikan said nervously. Upon confirmation from the Ultimate Mechanic, the nurse girl ran into the bus, wanting to be with her boyfriend.
"Boy, I feel bad for Makoto...she's the loving girlfriend, apparently." Hiyoko said.
"She has a plushie of him too. It's so cute...maybe I could get Keiko to make me one of Daisuke." Sonia said, earning a cringe look from Daisuke.
"No...that's creepy, and I don't want you having a voodoo doll of me." the boy said. The real possibility of Keiko making a voodoo doll was enough for him to refuse the idea. Nekumaru closed the storage compartment, while Kazuichi did a final check on the engine.
"How long will this trip actually take?" Nekumaru asked curiously.
"Seven hours at most, we gotta get out of Tokyo first...we'll be passing through Kawasaki so I want us to stock up on food and stuff there. I got enough money for a full list of groceries. Enough for 20 for the next week and a half."
"Alright, we'll hit up Junes then, I remember there being one in Kawasaki...my father was actually called there once to fix some AC units." Kazuichi said, closing the engine door. He wiped the oil off his hands, shoving the rag into his pocket.
"Okay then, I'll just set the GPS to Kawasaki's Junes and we'll stock up there. Maybe we could take a little road trip and see some hot spots or something, we'll be near Mount Fuji." Daisuke said.
"That sounds wonderful...we don't have to head to the beach house right away, I'll talk to the others and see what they think." Sonia said.
The four of them climbed into the bus, closing the door up tight. Daisuke got into the driver's seat, while Kazuichi took the passenger seat. There was a wall behind them, blocking out the living area from the driver's area. The bus had a door in the middle of it, giving the two teens a good look at the rest of the bus. It was really luxurious, with leather couches, flat screen television, granite counter tops, a wide sink and stove, microwave and a full size refrigerator. At the very back of the bus was a large bedroom, which was Sayaka's personal bed, as she was the owner of the bus. Daisuke took a deep breath, slipping the key in the ignition.
"Dude, are you sure you can drive this bus?" Kazuichi asked, his feet on the dashboard. The boy rolled his eyes.
"Yes, now get your fucking feet of the dash." he said, twisting the key.
The bus roared to life, shaking a bit as it did so. He put his seat belt on, checking everything over. Sayaka had told her driver to top the thing off, so they wouldn't have to worry about gas for awhile. He turned on the radio and the air conditioning, causing the two boys to sigh with relief, as it had been rather hot. Daisuke grabbed the radio, holding the side button.
"Ahem, ladies and gentlemen this is your captain speaking...uh the time is currently seven forty-five am in beautiful Hope's Peak Academy. The temperature is 75 degrees, with shining skies. Who's ready for this trip to start?" he said, shouting the end. Everyone in the back shouted loudly, clapping and cheering. Kazuichi snagged the radio from Daisuke, holding it close to his mouth.
"Well then, let's get this started. Take us Daisuke, to the great beyond!" he said loudly, hanging the radio up as they all cheered again. Daisuke shifted into gear and started driving, heading out of parking lot. He waited for all of the traffic to go through before getting onto the street.
"This is gonna be a long trip, but it'll so be worth it!" Daisuke said cheerfully.
Kazuichi high fived him, leaning back in his seat and putting his glasses on. He turned the GPS on, planning their route to Kawasaki. It wasn't long until one of their friends brought out their Ehome and started playing some music. Daisuke honked the horn loudly, whooping for joy as the trip was finally underway.
"Wonder how Nagito is doing, he didn't pick up his phone and he wasn't home either." Kazuichi said, a frown on his face.
"Knowing him, he's probably in some tropical paradise." Daisuke said, a smirk on his face.
xxx
Nagito groaned in pain, clutching his head as he looked around him. The first thing he noticed was the fact that his parents, who were sitting next to him on the plane, were gone. The next thing he noticed was that literally anyone and everyone on said plane, was dead. The front half of the fuselage had come to a rest, slightly tilted upward, while the back half of it had sunk into the sand. The sound of the jet turbines filled his mind for a few seconds, as he tried to unbuckle his seatbelt. He struggled with it for a few seconds, before the mechanism popped off the sides of the seat.
"My luck is quite amazing, the sole survivor of a plane crash? But, what a shame...the lights of hope within these travelers blinked out before they started shining." he muttered sadly. He looked around for any sign of his parents, but their seats had been completely ripped out. Looking up, he saw the bright shining sun above him, a huge hole in the ceiling of the plane.
"My you rest in peace mom and dad. My luck has destroyed your hopes for the future, for that I am sorry." he said, bowing his head a bit. He walked over to the door, trying to pry it open, but he was unsuccessful. The cupboard above him suddenly opened, and a leather bag fell out.
Inside the bag was something he hadn't been expecting. A Glock 17, along with a case of ammunition and spare magazines. There was also a police badge, and an identification that belonged to an Air Marshal. There was a satellite telephone, a flare gun and a few other things for survival. One thing that surprised him was the copy of Distrust that was tucked into the bag. He pulled it out, seeing his friend Daisuke's picture on the book. He smiled a bit, placing the book back into the bag, making a mental note to read it when he could. He grabbed the gun from the bag, looking at it closely. He rested his finger on the trigger, the gun going off much to his surprise. The bullet ricochet off the walls, striking several walls before hitting the emergency door, which flew open with a bang.
"It seems my luck hasn't run out yet." he said happily, grabbing the bag from the floor. He put the safety on and walked over to the door, sliding down the slide.
He turned around, looking at the destroyed air craft, a Boeing 747, which was bound back to Japan. Apparently they had hit a wave of turbulence and the plane had fallen onto a deserted island. He looked around, finding nothing but sand. The sound of water filled his ears, and he looked around, spotting an oasis not far from where he was. He smiled, heading toward it. It wasn't his idea of a summer vacation, but perhaps he would stay here for a bit. After all, he had high hopes for his little island.
xxx
Daisuke yawned, rubbing his eyes as he sat back in his seat. As it turned out, getting out of Tokyo on a weekday had been much harder than he first thought. He had been able to get out of the central city rather easy, but all of the roads out of Tokyo itself were blocked with traffic. He had only moved a few feet in the last ten minutes and it was starting to get to him. He was starting to get some serious road rage, and if anyone did something stupid, he would lash them out. Spanish people were known for having Latin Meltdowns, and they were common on the road. He glanced at all of his mirrors, making sure to keep an eye on the drivers behind him, last thing he wanted was for one of them to slam into him.
"Fucking Christ, are we moving or what?" Hiyoko snapped, sticking her head into the drivers area. Daisuke glared at her through the mirror.
"We're stuck in morning traffic Hiyoko, so no we aren't fucking moving any time soon. And if you ask me again, I swear to god I'm spanking your ass until it turns red!" he snapped back.
"Whoa, you okay man?" Kazuichi said, tipping his sunhat back. The boy had taken a shower earlier, having changed out of his jumpsuit for a more summery outfit.
"I'm sorry, I just can't deal with traffic." he said, clutching the wheel tightly.
"I'm sorry too sweetheart, I shouldn't keep bugging you." Hiyoko said, sitting between the two seats, next to the front console.
"You aren't bugging me, it's just...I was hoping to see open road soon...not fucking cars up the ass." he said. Thankfully he got a lucky break and finally started moving.
"Dude, I just found an alternate route, take the next exit." Kazuichi said, glancing up from the GPS.
"You sure about that? I don't wanna get us lost." he said.
"Trust me, I'm the navigator...just follow the route I set and we'll get out of this damn traffic. We'll be taking 357 south." he said.
"That'll take us all the way to Yokohama, we're trying to get to Kawasaki so he could go to Junes." Daisuke said.
"Yeah I know, but we can get off and head up 132 to get to the Kawasaki Prefecture."
"Ugh you idiots, just take the Metro Expressway K1, that will take us right through Kawasaki, the turn is coming up." Hiyoko said, pointing to the signs.
"That'll take too long though, we might get stuck in traffic." Kazuichi said.
"Fuck it, we can't afford going the other way, we'll just take the K1 for now." Daisuke said, flicking the turn signals on. He practically floored it when they were clear of cars, turning toward the exit.
It wasn't long before they were once again on open road, thankfully without traffic. Daisuke sighed in relief, relaxing a bit as he kept his eyes on the road ahead of him.
"Alright, I'll give you some points Hiyoko, that was a good call." Kazuichi said.
"It always is." she said, her focus on her 3ds. The pink haired boy however had his focus on her engagement ring, which was glittering brightly in the light. He glanced away, taking a sip from the soda he had brought with him.
"Bro, I still can't believe you two are getting hitched. It's so surreal." he said.
"I know...I wasn't expecting having a fiancee this early in life...guess I got lucky. We're happy, so that's what matters." Daisuke said, a smile on his face.
"You're just jealous that you can't kneel for Takane yet." Hiyoko said, a smirk on her face.
"Fuck you...I can kneel for her if I want too!" the boy cried.
"Right, but when the time is right you'll need a ring, which sadly you don't have...besides it's too early for you two. Bet you aren't even getting head yet." the girl said, sticking her tongue out at him.
"Well of course! We've only been dating for four months...you guys have been dating much longer than us."
"Well yeah, but me and Sonia have been dating only a couple months less than me and Hiyoko. I would have married both of them if I could...but I can't...the fact of the matter is, when the two of you are ready for that step, then just...go for it." the Story Teller said with a shrug. He jerked the wheel to the right a bit as another motorist cut in front of him. He opened his window, sticking his head out of it.
"Who taught you how to drive Jackass? You fucking piece of shit!" he shouted, honking the horn loudly.
"There it is...I was waiting for the road rage to start." Hiyoko said.
"He's in his right though, that prick almost hit us." Kazuichi snapped angrily. Daisuke stuck his hand out of the window, holding his middle finger up. He quickly pulled it in when he saw some Troopers on the road. He settled into his seat, once again driving normally.
"Sweetheart, you might want to head back, in case we get pulled over." he said. She frowned, giving him a nod. She kissed his cheek, heading back with the others, the sounds of laughter could be heard.
"Chiaki brought Cards Against Humanity with her, that explains the laughter." Daisuke said, replying Kazuichi's silent question.
"Hey man, I got another question...man to man...are you and the girls...you know...in that stage of the relationship." he asked. Daisuke blushed a bit, giving him a nod.
"Mhmm...we crossed that line weeks ago." he said.
"With both of them?" he asked.
"You aren't still in love with Sonia are you?" Daisuke asked, earning a head shake from the boy.
"No...I got over her when I got with Takane. It's just...how do you move onto that stage?" he asked curiously. Daisuke sighed, he really didn't want to give sex advice while his friends were in the other room...but he had to follow the Guy Code. He glanced over his shoulder briefly, setting his eyes back to the road.
"Listen man, that's all up to your girl. If she's up for it, and I mean really up for it, then you go right ahead. Don't ever force her into something she's uncomfortable for. Unless it's the day after her period ends, or she's mad horny, then don't do anything. It's her choice after all." he said firmly.
"That's a surprisingly mature reply. I was expecting you to say, hell man, go for it, or something like that."
"Pfft, who the hell do you think I am? I love my girls dearly. I wouldn't put them in anything they wouldn't want to do." he replied.
"You three a perfect for each other...I'm glad we met man, I think I would have pinned after Sonia until graduation, probably left bitter after failing. I probably wouldn't have met Takane either." he said.
"I'm happy we met too, we have Chisa to thank for that...she might be crazy, but she's like a big sister." he replied.
"A fucking crazy big sister, that makes all of her siblings eat shit." he said, shuddering a bit. The last thing he needed was to be reminded of the eating contest. But Daisuke shook it off, his focus on the road ahead of him.
After a couple more hours, they had left Tokyo behind, and were slowly but surely entering Kawasaki. The city was different than Tokyo of course, there was less hustle and bustle, but it was still a pretty big place. Following the directions on the GPS, Daisuke carefully drove through the streets of the foreign city, until he reached the place they were heading too.
Junes, or as he liked to call it, Japanese Wal-Mart. It was a large store that also doubled as a sort of mall. It had a rooftop cafeteria, with various food stands and other places where fresh food was served daily. The bottom floor served as the grocery store and general merchandise area. The entire front half of the store, and to the immediate left, was filled with grocery items, while the rest of the large and spacious first floor was filled with clothes, medicine, pet needs, housewares, toys, electronics, you name it, it was there. The second floor contained the gardening section, as well as the outdoor patio stuff and some outlet stores that ran under the Junes name brand. The sports shop was also there, selling things that the general store on the first floor didn't stock. If you wanted a canoe, that was the place to get it.
Daisuke carefully maneuvered to a mostly unused area of the superstore, and found himself a parking spot next to the west entrance of the store. He turned the engine off, sighing with relief as he stood up from his seat. He popped his back, moaning a bit.
"Four goddamn hours, and two of them were us in traffic...fucking bullshit." he said, opening the door. Before Kazuichi could get out, Kotoko raced past, jumping into Daisuke's arms, the boy almost stumbling back.
"Freedom!" she cried.
"Jesus, did you grow or did I get weaker?" he asked, struggling to hold her up. She giggled, jumping out of his arms.
"Don't be a meanie Mr. Daisuke, or I'll have Hisashi beat you up!" she cried. It had been the first time in awhile since he had seen Kotoko smiling so brightly. She had her hair down, surprisingly enough. She was wearing a light pink halter top, with a matching skirt and some shoes, very fitting for the hot climate.
"Hey kid, mind no barreling into me next time you feel the need to run outta here?" Kazuichi said, rubbing his chest a bit.
"Wussie!"
"Wha...Dais control her, she just called me a wussie!" the boy cried.
"Dude she's eleven, you ever try to control an eleven year old girl who looks like she drank crack water?" he asked.
"Yo Dais, me and Sayaka are going to stay here with Chiaki, Fuyuhiko and Peko. Mind keeping an eye on Kotoko for awhile?" Hisashi asked, earning a nod from the black haired boy.
"Yeah sure, as long as she behaves herself...we're here for groceries and other stuff we need, not for toys and candy." He said firmly.
"Aw, you're no fun!" she cried, looking away in a huff.
"Worry not! Ibuki will take care of her!" The Ultimate Musician cried, taking a hold of Kotoko's hand.
"We'll be back soon, keep a weather eye out!" Daisuke said, waving to those who remained behind, while the others headed toward the store entrance.
Walking inside, they all sighed with relief, the air conditioning was cranked, making them quite happy. Daisuke grabbed the first cart, followed by Mahiru.
"Alright then, let the search commence!" the boy cried, heading toward the grocery half of the store.
"I'm checking housewares really quick, I'm in need of a new drill." Kazuichi said, taking off by himself.
"Wait up, I'll go with you!" Takane cried, following after her boyfriend.
"Ibuki will get the beach stuff, come on Kotoko, I'll race ya!" she said, giving the pink haired girl a wink. The took off a second later, causing a few people to jolt to the side.
"Hey, goddamn it, Sonia will you keep an eye on them?" Daisuke asked, earning a nod from her.
"I will do my utmost best to keep them in line." she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. She smirked as she walked away.
"Yes! I can finally get myself an inflatable dolphin!"
Daisuke had turned around, only to find Mahiru and Hiyoko with him. Everyone else had taken off, no idea where. He sighed, pinching his eyes as he continued onward.
"I hope those idiots don't do anything to piss the staff off." Mahiru said, looking at some of the pictures she had taken while on the road.
"I doubt anyone will do anything. I bet Mikan and Makoto are at the pharmacy, knowing her she's already sniffing the alcohol." Hiyoko said, a frown on her face.
"So, what's on the list? Any fresh fruits and stuff?" Mahiru asked curiously.
"Yeah, just grab whatever catches your eye, except cauliflower...I am deathly allergic to that shit." he said, shivering a bit.
"Did Teruteru want anything in specific? He's the one cooking this shit!" Hiyoko said.
"Nope, he said he would take care of the meats and asked us to grab the vegetables and stuff. I'm assuming he knows what he's doing." Daisuke said with a shrug. He grabbed a few bags of potatoes, along with some packs of carrots and onions.
"Sonia was talking about heading to Mount Fuji on this trip, but it's a bit far from here. We all suggested we visit it another time, maybe next year." Mahiru said.
"I guess that's fine, we can always go on road trip at a later date...I'm already having fun." Daisuke said.
"Hey Dais, catch!" Hiyoko cried, throwing a ripe tomato at the boy. He let out a yelp as he reached for the delicate fruit before it hit the ground. He glared at her, shoving it in a bag.
"Don't throw this shit, jeez." he said, grabbing a few more, placing them in the cart.
Hiyoko looked around for a few seconds, grabbing a large tomato from the top of the stack. She waited until Daisuke and Mahiru were distracted and threw it as hard as she could over the shelving units. She heard a scream four or five aisles down, making her laugh. While Daisuke and Mahiru weren't paying attention, she grabbed a bunch of other things, placing them underneath the stuff already in the cart. She would always turn back to her handheld, pretending to be paying attention to it. They didn't even notice.
xxx
"Come on Old man, you can do another rep!" Akane cried, sitting on the shelf above. Nekumaru had been laying on a weight lifting bench, having placed several weights on the bar. He had been benching them for a few minutes now, his muscles bulging with every pump.
"Nekumaru Nidai!" the man shouted, slamming the bar back into place. Akane clapped her hands loudly, a grin on her face. She grabbed an apple from behind her back, taking a bit from it.
"Nice job man, fifteen reps in fifteen minutes, didn't think you could pull it off." she said.
"Never underestimate the Ultimate Team Manager Akane!" the man said, laughing boisterously as he clapped her shoulder, making her swallow hard. She coughed loudly, tapping her chest as she felt the apple go down her throat. She let out a sigh.
"Don't do that, I could have choked!" she cried.
"Sorry, I didn't see you chewing. Hey look at this." the man said, walking over to the sport section.
There was a badminton set on sale, with everything they would need to play. Akane smirked inwardly, reaching for the set. She dumped it into the cart she had found, along with a few rackets and some extra shuttlecocks.
"I haven't played this shit since I was a little girl...it's gonna be fun." she said.
"Indeed it will, we will definitely defeat all of our friends at it!" the Ultimate Team Manager said, a firm look on his face. Akane grabbed a brand new football from the shelf, pulling it out of its packaging. She spin it on her finger for a second, handing it to Nekumaru.
"Hey, no balls you'll grab this foot ball and throw it as hard as you can."
"Are you insane? We're in a store." he said.
"Yeah but it's Junes, they don't give a shit what you do. Did you know there's a strict, no chase policy if you get caught stealing?" she asked.
"Really? How do you know that?"
"My cousin works at a Junes, says it's a shit job. But hey, it pays for her dumb ass hobby." she replied with a shrug.
"What is her hobby?" Nekumaru asked curiously. She took a bite from her apple, pulling the seeds from it.
"Button collecting...yeah it sounds stupid, and it fucking is...but she has millions of little buttons, all of them sitting in a neat little book. She's goddamn weird man." she said, leaning back against the wall.
"Yes...do you still want me to throw this?" he asked.
"Hell yeah, let her rip!" Akane cried, a grin. Nekumaru sighed, cracking his shoulders. He ran forward, throwing the football with all of his strength. It sailed all the way across the store, slamming into a shopping cart, or at least that's what they thought, since it sounded metallic.
"Maybe we should move along." the Ultimate Gymnast said, grabbing a hold of the cart. Nekumaru sighed, shaking his head.
xxx
Kazuichi was impressed with the amount of tools inside Junes. There was an entire section dedicated to power tools. He knew he was there just to get a drill, but he ended up grabbing a few other things. He was still grateful to his friend for the Christmas gift he had given him, but sometimes it was good to have extras. Takane looked a bit bored as she looked around, picking up a monkey wrench from the rack. She tested its weight, humming to herself.
"Uh...any reason why you are testing its weight?" Kazuichi asked, having seen the white haired girl out of the corner of his eye.
"No reason...you never know when zombies will attack." she said with a shrug.
"Zombies?" he asked curiously.
"Yes, you know...living dead, love brains?" she asked, setting the wrench back. He narrowed his eyes in annoyance.
"I know what a zombie is...but do you know how unlikely that is? I mean there's too much stuff to mess with. It would be hard for some virus to magically turn the human race into brain dead eating machines." he said, placing a small tool set into his basket.
"Well yeah I know...it's just fun to think about. The end of the human race at the hands of a brain altering virus. Few people actually making it out alive, living my any means possible, even if it means killing."
"Takane, you are scaring me." the boy said jokingly, earning a smirk from the girl.
"Oh, like you wouldn't enjoy running around, doing whatever we wanted. Just the two of us." she replied.
"Well ideally, I wouldn't want it to be just the two of us. I would want all of our friends to be in it together...more chances of survival. I dunno what I would do if you ended up getting eaten by a zombie." he said.
"Aw, you really do care for me!" she cried, giving him a kiss. His eyes widened in surprise, as he started kissing her back. They both pulled away when something sailed past them at a high velocity. They kept looking down the aisle, seeing it slam into a shopping cart, sending the stuff inside all over the place.
"What the fuck!" the person shouted angrily. Kazuichi cringed inwardly.
"I'm pretty sure I know who did that...let's keep looking around." he said, taking a hold of Takane's hand.
"Dawg, that's fresh tat lady, real talk"
"Why thank you so much!" Takane said, giving the little boy a smile. Kazuichi however wondered why the little boy talked like he was from the ghetto.
Xxx
"Who the fuck just throws a football? I mean look at this!" a man cried angrily, pointing at his cart. The manager of the store, along with some employees were picking the stuff off the floor. The football had pierced right through the cart, lodging itself in between the slats. Daisuke looked at the ball, a frown on his face.
"Nekumaru." he muttered under his breath.
He hurried along, trying not to stare for too long. His cart was filled with several items, including soft drinks, snacks, vegetables, and a few other things. Mahiru's was almost filled to the brim, with things ranging from toiletries to some necessities for grilling.
"Ha! What a loser!" Hiyoko cried loudly, laughing as she passed by the tipped over cart.
"Why don't you say that to my face you bimbo?" the man cried in anger.
"Hey asshole, talk to my girl like that again and I'll knock you on your ass." Daisuke cried in reflex, glancing at the man.
He wasn't much taller than him, most likely around five foot eleven or so. He was wearing a tee shirt, some sweat pants and some worn tennis shoes. He looked like he hadn't been out of his house in weeks.
"Oh yeah? Maybe you should control your bitch then, before she gets hit." the man said, waving his fist at him.
"Oooh, I'm sooo scared." Hiyoko taunted, causing the man to take a step forward.
"Hiyoko stop it, this isn't worth it. Let's just go." Mahiru said, taking a hold of Hiyoko's arm. Daisuke glared at the man, turning around.
"That's right, you better run, pussies!"
Hiyoko suddenly turned around, throwing a tomato right to the man's face. He fell to the ground stunned from the sudden attack. By the time he regained his bearings, the three teenagers were already gone. He grit his teeth in anger, fuming.
"Did you see that?"
"See what?" the manager said. Truthfully he had, but the blonde had done the right thing, that man truly was a loser.
"Hiyoko, you can't throw shit at people. We could get sued, and or kicked out of here." Daisuke said.
"I agree with him, just keep your comments to yourself, or if you must...laugh after we've left the immediate area. Now come on, we have to grab some milk and some other dairy things." Mahiru said.
"Attention Junes Customers, there's a sale on Dildos and Lube on Aisle 69. Hurry while sales last...everything is 100% free."
"Goddamn it Ibuki!" Daisuke muttered under his breath. He wanted to go find the musician, but he was currently to busy to actually track them down.
Kotoko giggled as Ibuki hung the PA phone up. They quickly left the area, heading back toward the camping section of the store. Ibuki looked around for a few seconds, grabbing a tent for herself. The pink haired girl looked at her curiously.
"Why do you need a tent?"
"So Ibuki can sleep outside, camping sounds fun doesn't it?" she asked.
"I guess...but I don't want to sleep outside, it reminds me of the time I was locked out of my house in the rain. It was cold and wet, like sushi!" the girl said. Ibuki blinked a few times, shrugging it off.
As they kept walking, they ended up in the toy section of the store. Kotoko's eyes lit up as she saw all of the toys around her. She grabbed a doll from the shelf, hugging it tightly.
"I'm buying this." she said.
"Do you have money?" Ibuki asked curiously, earning a nod from the little girl.
"My daddy gave me money for this trip...I also took big brother Hisashi's credit card!" the girl said, holding the plastic card out for the musician to see.
"You are pretty cool, you know that?" Ibuki said, a grin on her face. Her eyes lit up as she saw another phone, she quietly made her way to it, unhooking it from the base. She dialed the number for the intercom, pressing it to her ear.
"Can I do it Miss Ibuki?" Kotoko asked, earning a shrug from the older girl, who took a hold of the phone.
"Attention Junes customers...if you go outside right now and see a coach bus, it belongs to Sayaka Maizono. She's signing autographs right now! Hurry hurry!"
"Dude, you just royally screwed us!" Ibuki cried, taking the phone from the little girl.
"Hehe, I just wanted to make it fun for everyone!" she said.
Ibuki sighed, she loved kids, but sometimes they could be a pain in the ass.
xxx
"Can I get some candy?" Hiyoko asked, earning a sigh from Daisuke.
"For the last time, I said no! I got money budgeted for this trip only. I can't afford to waste my money on frivolous things." the boy replied, placing another case of soda into his cart.
He had gotten five twelve packs of varying flavors, along with three cubes of Pepsi Cherry and Dr. Pepper Cherry for himself. He had been running out of space, so Mahiru volunteered to carry some of the extra drinks. Sayaka had wanted seltzer water, because it helped keep her voice firm during vocal practices, and Fuyuhiko had asked for a specific brand of Coke, which he was having trouble finding. On top of that, his fiancee kept begging him for candy every minute, like a little child at a candy store. He was growing rather pissed.
"Come on, don't be a dickhead, you're totally loaded from the book sales!" she snapped.
"Hiyoko, I am not going to waste money on candy alright? Maybe later kay?" he said, giving her a firm look.
"You are so mean to me...after I graciously gave you my hand in marriage you do this to me? Why can't you buy me a candy bar? It's only two hundred yen. You should at least cater to your pregnant fiancee!" she shouted, grabbing the attention of a few customers.
"Are you fucking serious? Cut the shit!" he hissed, glaring at the blonde. She sneered, turning around, placing a hand on her forehead.
"Woe is me, here I am, three months along and the cravings hit. I thought when you knelt for me it would be forever, that I would get what I wanted. If that's how it's going to be, I will leave you and take our baby with us." she said.
"What an ass...he should buy her the chocolate!"
"Isn't she a little young to be pregnant? Must be arranged or something."
"That man is my hero, keep firm man, don't let her get what she wants!"
"Shut up Steven!"
Daisuke groaned angrily, glaring at Hiyoko, who had a pout on her face.
"Fine, grab your goddamn candy bar and shut up." he said. She gave him a peck on the lips and ran off, heading back toward the candy section. He looked up, seeing all of the other customers looking at him.
"What are you looking at?" he shouted angrily.
"Man, I can't believe you are having marital problems before the wedding. If it's like this, then I doubt it will last."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence Mahiru, it means a lot to me." Daisuke said, pushing the already heavy cart toward the checkout.
"Attention Junes customers...if you go outside right now and see a coach bus, it belongs to Sayaka Maizono. She's signing autographs right now! Hurry hurry!"
"Fucking shit, I thought Sonia was supposed to be watching them!" he shouted angrily.
xxx
"Look at this cute towel! I am so getting it!" Sonia cried, grabbing another beach towel.
Makoto and Mikan had been following the princess along for awhile now, watching as she loaded it with pool toys. Water guns, pool noodles, inflatables, three inflatable dolphins for some reason or another, bug spray, sun tanning lotion, sunscreen, anything you could need at the beach was in that cart. She stopped once more, reaching to a high shelf for a large beach umbrella. She pulled it off the shelf, struggling a bit to hold it.
"Let me help you." Makoto said, reaching for the other end of the box.
"I've got it Makoto, thank you. I'll need you to carry it though, as it is one of three that I'm getting." she said.
"Three? Miss Yukizome said that Mr. Munakata had more at his home...why do we need three?" Mikan asked curiously.
"Why did you grab all of those industrial sized bottles of Hydrogen Peroxide?" the princess countered, earning a huff from the nurse.
"In case we get hurt, or end up needing them...that's why."
"Well there's your answer. Besides I have a light skin tone, I need all the shade I could get. Now, does Junes sell wet suits? It's my first time in one." she said, a bright smile on her face.
"I'm not...sure. The last time...I went to Junes...was when my sister...got into...middle school." Makoto replied, trying to balance the three umbrellas in his arms. Mikan took a hold of the other end, relieving some of the weight in his hands.
"Hmm...I suppose we'll have to look, although I feel like I'm forgetting something rather important." she said. It was a second later that a familiar voice was heard through the intercom.
"Attention Junes customers...if you go outside right now and see a coach bus, it belongs to Sayaka Maizono. She's signing autographs right now! Hurry hurry!"
"Oh right...I was supposed to keep an eye on Kotoko and Ibuki...damn." she said softly.
xxx
"Are you mad man?" Kazuichi asked, as Daisuke took another turn. It had been an hour and a half since leaving Junes and Daisuke hadn't said a word.
"What gave you that idea?" he asked curiously.
"You...haven't said anything since we left the store...that's why." he said. Daisuke pulled over on the road, putting on the emergency lights while shifting to neutral. He swerved his seat, turning to face the pink haired mechanic.
"I had to wait in fucking line, for twenty fucking minutes, because my fiancee thought it would fucking funny to load the cart with fucking shit we didn't fucking need. Then, Sonia bought more fucking things we didn't fucking need, Kotoko made that fucking announcement through the fucking intercom, hundreds of people gathered outside the fucking bus. On top of that, I was made a fool of by my fiancee inside the fucking store. A lot of people I don't know now think I am a fucker who can't take care of his pregnant fucking girlfriend. Oh and guess what, I almost got into a fucking fight with some asshole, because Nekumaru thought it would be fucking funny to through a fucking football in the fucking store. Now can you see why I'm so fucking angry?" he shouted.
"Fuck yeah." the boy replied. Daisuke groaned, slamming his head against the wheel, setting off the horn.
"You know what, fuck it, I'm not gonna say shit." he said. He shifted back into drive and drove off, once again hitting the road. They were only fifteen minutes away from Munakata's mansion.
"Um...Daisuke?"
He looked into the mirror, seeing Hiyoko and Sonia standing behind him, disappointed looks on their faces.
"What?" he asked.
"We're sorry, we didn't mean to cause so much trouble for you." Sonia said, bowing her head.
"What are you talking about? I got a shitload of candy." Hiyoko said, earning an elbow to the ribs from the princess. She clutched her side in pain.
"Okay fine, I'm sorry alright, you want some road head or something?"
"Absolutely not, just sit your ass on that couch and don't say anything. No candy for a week, so fork that shit over." he said.
He held his hand out, while keeping his other hand on the wheel. The girl pouted, handing him the Junes bag filled to the brim with candy, which he put on his lap.
"This isn't fair...don't you love me?" she asked, giving him a puppy look.
"That shit won't work on me...not when I paid for it. If you behave yourself for the rest of the day, I may consider giving it back." he said. She gave him a frown, disappearing into the back.
"You shouldn't be so harsh on her...you know how Hiyoko is." Sonia said firmly.
"Yes, but she fucking made an ass out of me in Junes, so no it isn't a harsh punishment at all." He replied.
"I suppose so...I guess I'll just go calm her down for now." she replied, ducking back into the living area. Daisuke smiled, grabbing a chocolate bar for himself.
"And the spoils of war go to the winner." he said, tossing one to Kazuichi who gratefully accepted it.
"Are you alright Hiyoko?" Sonia asked, taking a seat next to her.
"Not really, I messed up...I made Daisuke mad at me."
"He isn't mad, just let him cool off for a bit and he'll be back to normal. I got you something." she said, giving her a grin. She handed her a chocolate bar, making the girl light up.
"Oh Sonia, you're the best!" the girl said, giving her a kiss on the lips. The Ultimate Princess smiled, kissing the girl back.
"Oh yeah, keep kissing." Teruteru said, his nose gushing blood. Peko stood up, turning to face the chef, who instantly became terrified.
"You have nowhere to run Teruteru, so that means I can beat you up." she said, pulling her shinai from its case. The rest of the ride was will filled with violent screams, compliments of the Ultimate Chef.