Hardboiled Naegi

Plot: Kirgri isn't the only Super High School Detective at Hope's Peak Academy; a very different Naegi Makoto is in this story; a hardboiled, monloguing in the style of black and white noir films or Sin City kind of Naegi. A Negi who has a way with the ladies…and a hunger for answers.

Chapter 2: Secrets of Shame, sadness and Rage

Everybody has a secret they fight to keep hidden. It's always clawing at the back of our minds, waiting to get out and consume us. All we can do is hope we keep it in.

Hope is a fragile but powerful thing; it can give incredible strength or damn a sucker to the gutter. I used to believe in such a thing with all my heart, and I almost did again….

XXXX

Cold water rains down on me in the shower; Maizono asleep in the bed. A week's past since Leon was handed his ass, and she's refused to go anywhere without me. It took me an hour to convince her to let me have one shower alone.

Don't get me wrong; I love showering with her; a beautiful woman I crushed on all throughout school? And she is so sweet and caring towards a schmuck like me….But still, a guy needs a little time on his moment.

Some would consider it annoying and tell her to get over what happened, but since Leon nearly helped himself to something that mom always told me a lady decides who gets, I don't blame her.

Still wish this'd happened under better circumstances:

I slip under the covers and immediately she wraps her arms around me, nuzzling her cheek against my face: Even asleep she feels safe when I'm around.

A gentle smile crosses her face, and she whispers my name. I return the smile weakly.

No one will hurt her ever again.

XXXX

Since Leon was taken care of, I've learnt more about my classmates.

Togami seems to be under the kind that thinks 'this whole charade is a game, and I'm going to win it.' He spends his time in the library. Less I see of him, the better.

First thing the morning after, Hardass commends me on saving Maizono, giving me hope that I'd get along with him…only for him to say violence 'is not allowed in a school environment.'

"Listen Hardass," I tell him. "In case you didn't notice; the only way anybody gets anything in this place is killing, which is pretty much violence incarnate. And live up to the title of hall monitor, you should've leapt in and protected Maizono before I got there.

The Kuwabara-wannabe slaps me on the shoulder in congrats, and growls at what Leone tried to do. Then he and Hardass get into a piss-fit that ends with them taking over the steam bath. For some reason, every time Hardass and Kuwabara are around, I get 'the ambiguously gay duo' playing in my head ever since they came out of their steam-off…bro-off…thing.

I don't get in contact with the other guys…save the time I actually do beat up the fat nerd when he asks me how Maizono's skin felt. Freak's going to die a virgin, no question about it.

I also call out Hagakure for not being able to see Maizono's attack, but don't bother to listen. Anything related to the future or time has some many laws and variables no one should even bother.

Once again, the lovely ladies of Hope's Peak Academy are the best part of being stuck in the school.

Celeste keeps smiling and talking cryptically, hiding her cute little Goth 'life is meaningless' spiel. She does see this as a game, but she's a gambler and babe, so she can get away with it. Besides, unlike that dick Togami, she is nowhere malicious and snoot about her. Apparently, she and Togami made a bet over who would break first and I made her several hundred yen. She's grateful and starts calling me 'Lucky charm.'

Sakura and Aoi are the first to check on Maizono the morning after, giving her a circle of girlfriends. That makes me apparent tolerance of me is now full like; Sakura and I go about a round and half before she nails me flat on my ass….best spar I've had in a while. Sakura laughs at me, grinning like a dumbass with blood drippling down my lip. I join her and we end up pumping or fists.

Kirgri, while Sakura and Aoi were checking on Maizono, the Detective and I had a little chat; she did her research and found out about ma's business and how I went on all her jobs.

She turns out to be the most like me; her amnesia seems to be pronounced than the others and she keeps digging for clues. We end up spending two of the following afternoons exploring together with Maizono, eventually bringing the cool girl into the circle of friends. She then tries to sit me down and teach me chess…

I suck royally. But I do get the benefit of seeing Kirgri smile quietly and pecking my cheek.

And of course, how could I forget Junko and the 180 she's pulled? The morning after Leon, she buries my face into her…he he…and declares me the savior of the school. Then she drops one hell of a bombshell; she's a solider named Mukuro Ikusaba; long straight black hair and carrying enough weapons to take down an army.

Muku, as I call her, is already on my side. She then slips back into Junko-mode, kisses me when no one's looking and gives me an order:

Live.

I'll try.

XXXX

While Maizono is on self-elected kitchen duty with Kirgri, I go exploring again, hoping to find something better during daylight hours. Aside from finding a bar, from which I later steal some Baileys, vodka and Heineken, I find nothing.

My headaches suddenly come with a vengeance and no warning and my pills are out. I stumble to the nurse's office, head throbbing and the world spinning. The distance is too great and I instead rush to the showers, hoping water will help.

Somehow, I get into the girls'. I blame the bear trying to get someone killed.

"Naegi? W-what're you doing here?"

I see Aoi, fresh out of her workout and headed off to the shower, naked with her hair down. My jaw drops before I turn around, my face hot.

God, those curves…those eyes….that hair now flowing to her shoulders…..Yeah, her chest is nice too, but I look for more than that. You should try it, might actually get you some.

Besides, Toka agrees with me on the curves part; Maizono says she caught the author drooling at the swimmer and tries to fondle her whenever the girls are working out together. Luckily Kirgri or Sakura are always around to scare her off. I laughed at that so hard I coughed.

For whatever reason, for a second, I stop thinking rationally and little Naegi takes over.

I'd like to think no man would blame me….

In the shower, fogged by steaming water, we start kissing and I feel up that body honed through swimming, track and field….And she says my bod isn't too bad; not muscular like Sakura or the Kuwabara-wannabe; Aoi LOVES definition, and accompanying mom on her cases, chasing after scumbags leaves no room for what the nerd's got.

She says she's always known I was a good guy and out of the guys at the school and she's known, I'm the nicest. Kinda sad, but considering her legs were wrapped around my waist at the time, I don't think about it. I tell her she's just as beautiful as all the others, and anybody who makes her think otherwise is a fool.

When we finish, my headaches are gone and my whole body feels in the way it does after Maizono…

Then I realize:

OH SHIT, MAIZONO!

Maizono takes it…..extremely well. She laughs it off and tells me that as long I don't forget her and still tuck her in every night, I can sleep with the entire school body.

….

I punch myself so hard I get two shiners trying to make sure this isn't a dream.

It ain't.

I'm considering changing my title to Harem-master (AN: shout out to a Different Killing Game) so that Kirgri gets the detective, but I spend most of a night making sure I have contingencies for all the possible situations that could arise from an open relationship. I'm no ending up like Makoto from School Days.

No relation to the above mentioned idiot.

So I've got an idol, a solider and now a swimmer.

XXXX

The Bear calls us in, pissed that no one has been killed. He tries stir the pot by giving us enevleopes containing what he calls 'or deepest secrets'; what we'd kill to keep hidden.

I get my internet search history. Judging by the looks on everyone else's faces, they probably got worse.

My search history is as follows; Maizono, Maizono and Kawaii Karaoke, surveillance cameras online, Hope's Peak, Junko Enoshima, Junko mag covers, Hope's Peak Yearbook, Monokuma, News, Blacksad online, Kirgri, Ogami, Ogami Dojo partners, Togami industries, translator, Makoto detective agency

I read mine aloud. Yet another grave probably dug; they know I'm a dying guy who's got it going on with an idol, and without much effort, it's clear all the ladies (barring Toka) like me.

Chihiro gives me the biggest surprise of them all…in more ways than I wanted to know where possible. She actually tries to get the group to work together; we're all Super Duper High School Levels, and if we combine our forces we could take down Monokuma. She's already hacked into the school, we just have to join forces, and hope for the right moment.

Hope…Something I gave up on the second I learnt about my condition: I gave my whole life to it, and what did I get?

But for a spilt second, I see mom and sis in Fuji's place.

Togami and Celeste remind Fuji or humanity's dark inner nature and the conversation ends. Everybody goes on their ways, except me and Fuji, who's close to tears and begging for someone to listen to her.

I lose control and take the kid into a hug, telling her to let it out. She does, her tears dripping all over my jacket. I give the kid a sip of baileys to calm down.

"I need to become strong." Chihiro suddenly says, leaping to her feet. "My whole life, I hid away…not anymore. Naegi, can you help me become a man?"

Before I can correct the kid, she tenses and looks around. Then sighs and steels her eyes in a way I've seen on the faces you have everything to loose, but aren't going down without a fight.

If she wasn't too cute for romance, I'd want her….

Chihiro then lifts up her skirt and I see a little bump that isn't supposed to be there.

…..

…..

….

"…C-could you excuse me for moment, Fuji?"

I find the nearest bathroom and scream as loud as I can, then toss my breakfast, lunch and dinner from last night. A damn shame too…Maizono made curry so nice it rivalled ma's!

When I emerge, my eyes are bloodshot and my voice course.

"Ok. Meet me outside my room after dinner."

For the next few days, little Chihiro is my apprentice; kid hits like a baby, but there's real drive and grit in his eyes. No matter how often he falls, he gets right back up and tells me he's gotta become a man.

…still feels weird to call him a guy.

But thanks to Chihiro, Maizono says I'm really smiling again; I give the kid piggybacks and sit it on his hacking attempts. He even spends a night in the same room with me and Maizono, almost like a kid….

If we get out of this, I'm making him my Watson.

XXXX

One day, Monokuma makes an announcement right before everyone heads for breakfast: There's been a murder.

We all rush throughout the school to find a body, and I stop at gym doors. Out of the corner of my

I freeze.

Fuji.

Tied to the wall with those wrap-weights you don't see anymore; the ones the older brother in the Goonies uses and ends up being tied up in. Head bleeding

I fall to my knees, actually praying that this is a dream and that it's not too late.

Chihiro twitches and coughs blood, barely alive.

I rush to him and smack his cheeks lightly, tears stinging my eyes.

"Don't die." I beg. "Don't die, damn it! You're the hope! You're my Watson! The guy with the dragon tattoo!"

Weakly, he opens his eyes and smiles weakly. I ca see the light leaving his eyes.

"I…I'm sorry, aniki…I-I…I just wanted…"

I shush him gently, cupping his chin

"Nae…"

Silence and utter blackness in his eyes.

For the second time I've lost a younger sibling.

"Mom…sis…" I whimper. "Watch over Chihiro…"

I clear my eyes as others come in. Maizono rushes to me and I embrace her, keeping my wails in. Muku and Aoi soon join.

The others are gathered. Some scream, others damn whoever did this, Togami just smirks and opens his mouth….

"One word." I growl. "One word, you're mute."

The bear laughs as he gives us three hours to find evidence and then debate who killed my new little brother.

Red, seething, burning hate fills me. I lightly push the girls away and take one last look at my little brother.

"I'm goanna kill you." I say, loud enough for all to hear, my fists shaking. "Whoever of you killed Fujisaki….you're sleeping in hell tonight."

XXXX

While the others search, I rack my brain for most of the three hours, trying to limit the ones who could've killed that way and figure out what could've brought Fuji to the girl's gym room without a trainer…

When the time is up, we come to a room with defendant stands for us to stand in. There are pictures of most of us; Fuji's is covered with a bloody 'x'. Leon's is missing.

Togami begins the procedding by bringing up a real-life serial killer whose style is similar to how Fuji died. He then orders Toka to 'do it.'

She scared more than ever, and suddenly I notice something.

"Drop the act." I hiss. "Now."

Toka's eyes go reptile and a Gene Simmons drops from her mouth.

Genocider Sho. Super Duper High School Level Serial killer with a sick habit of killing her victims via crucification with shears. How do I know this?

"Naegi!" Sho shouts gleefully. "Been too long! How's the fam?"

…. We've met before. Ma chased Sho for half a year, the same year I met a sailor-swearing tomboy who liked scissors and had the coolest tongue my 10 year old mind had seen. Then said tomboy revealed her habit of collecting serial killer articles and

"Oh, whats the matter? Scared you won't solve this one? The Naegi I knew used to be so hopeful."

"I 'used to' a lot of things." I remind her.

Togami then tries to get us to vote Sho off and end the trial. For such a genius, he can be damned selectively stupid. Then again, most supposed prodigies are.

Sho always uses scissors and always impales the hands. Fuji was tied to the workout equipment. And Sho always uses scissors; she needs to make sure everyone knows it her. She does kill those who 'get her off', but nothing she'd done tells me she knew Fuji's secret.

The Kuwabara wannabe and nerd call me out, saying I'm defending Sho just because I want her in my growing harem. Hardass says harems aren't allowed in school.

Sakura tells me to be careful with my sense, but makes it clear that she, Aoi, Maizono and 'Junko' trust me. Celste also comes to my defense, pointing out that I already knew Sho, and pointing out how stand off I am around her.

Togami is clearly pissed that his well thought-out plan isn't work.

"Maybe you're the killer." Togami suddenly says. "Maybe little Fujisaki wasn't going out with you, and you didn't like that."

The girls are all disgusted by his, even Sho calls her so called love out on this. Monokuma says 'not cool!'

I leave my stand and walk over to Togami, glare at him for a few seconds…Then the smug bastard repeats his 'game' line.

I break his arm in three places, then punch one of the lens of his glasses into an eye. Then I do Bane proud and break him.

He'll live. Unfortunately. I'm no Bane; at best Togami will need crutches for a week or two.

Monokuma lets it slide and say he'll stand in for the dick; pedo jokes are apparently a no-no for him.

Kirgri then drops the bombshell about Fuji's secret. Aside from her and Monokuma, I'm the only one not shocked.

"You knew?" The bear asks, clearly already knowing everything.

I sigh and putting myself under suspicion again, explain what happened; how I was training Fuji every night….

Then I put all but one detail together: Chihiro hadn't been feeling well the day before, so we cancelled our workout. But after dinner, he seemed more chipper and went to bed earlier. Celeste then metions she saw him with a jersey heading to the workout rooms.

"Oh Fuji…" I tear up. "You idiot. You adorable, fucking idiot. You could've come to me."

Kirgri beats Maizono to comforting me, pecking my cheek and shushing my tears.

Sakura mentioned earlier that the stains from her protein coffee was gone, but the fortune teller mentions how he found one under some weights.

….

Wait.

How the fuck did the Kuwabara wannabe know what color jersey Fuji used?

...

Kirgri catches his fumble as well.

"YOU."

"M-me what, bro?" He asks.

"I'LL. FUCKING. KILL YOU."

The thug can't get himself out, despite Hardass trying to save him from death, pointing out it doesn't matter how the thug mentioned a color. He demands that the biker explain.

Monokuma then gives a sap story that makes me hate the guy even more; he has an inferiority complex on strength that erupts in jealousy. It killed his brother when they had a drag race and saved him….and he killed Fuji when the kid decided to reveal his secret just so…just so….

Just so that he wouldn't bother me.

Hardass alone doesn't vote for his possible butt-pal. Just before Monokuma can 'enact punishment', I let out an unholy roar and leap toward the dead man.

Kuwata doesn't make any attempt to stop me. He just takes it all. I don't know how long it goes on for.

Maizono and Muku try to stop me at some point, but I keep screaming and punching.

Aoi suddenly grabs my arm, telling me to stop. And I do.

Kuwata, now dead as a dino, is a bloody mess, as are my fists and jacket.

Monokuma is laughing and Sho is salivating over my vengeful killing. The others are just shocked at what I've done.

That night, I sleep with all three of the women in my life. No sex, just sleeping.

I can't sleep, but they cry themselves into it. I pop a few pills in, hoping I get drowsy.

They don't help.

I glance a packet of cigarettes I stole from Kuwata's coat and help myself to one. I've already got a brain tumor, what're black lungs and fucked up teeth going to do?

I look up the ceiling.

I see Fuji's smiling face, which vanishes when I puff out the smoke.

For a second, I allowed hope to enter my life again, and now I've lost it again.

Maizono. Aoi. Kirgri. Muku. Sakura. They're all I have left now.

For them alone, I'll find whoever put this together, kill them and use the last remaining bits of my life.

From the diary of Naegi Makoto

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