Chapter 5: Ultimate Friendship, Established!

After 5 long years of going separate ways with Chihiro-san, I always think about her, and the times when we were back in grade school. Never was there a time, I would forget her, even when I was in training, competitions and performances, I would always see her somewhere cheering for me.

The very reason why I strived so hard for 5 years was right in front of me. After embracing the long reunion, she says to me, "Hanako-kun, look at how much you have grown, an Ultimate with many talents." I am really flattered by my best friend's complements, I really wish that I could turn off my fame like a switch.

Nevertheless, I am really glad to have made that choice to explore and got some new friends in my journey. "Chihiro, I... must thank you for inspiring me." I express my life -long thanks and she gave me a bright smile.

"Excuse me, Mr Hanako Yuki, mind explaining the reason for your sudden actions and your relationship, w-with this cute, little lady here?" Taka interrupts us with a demanding question, but I guess we have to explain.

"Ah, forgive me Taka, Makoto. This is my childhood friend, Chihiro. We first met each other in grade school, and she is the best programmer I have known." I briefly introduce her to the curious guys and Chihiro follows on, "H-hello everyone. My name... is Chihiro Fujisaki. I'm... the Ultimate Programmer, as you already figured it out." She properly introduces herself, stammering a little on her words.

Taka and Makoto are delighted to meet another classmate in class 78th. "A programmer? Wow, so you must be smart with computers! All I... I know is playing video games." Makoto is amazed with Chihiro's talents as a professional computer whizz.

"Ah, indeed! What an exceptional skill for a petite yet intelligent girl. You must teach me about 'programming' someday soon." Taka further complements her abilities and request for a future lesson in advance. Chihiro blushes a little upon the flattering complements given but is more than happy to make acquantance with these fine gentlemen.

I turn towards Chihiro and look at her stature from head to toe. Then, Chihiro spots me looking at her so focusingly, made her face, flushing red. I withdraw myself and she asks me what I am doing. I answer her that I am only looking distinctively at her posture.

"Chihiro, you have grown a little taller from the last time we met. Almost as tall as I am..." I am glad that she has grown into a fine lady. "You... really think so!? I will catch up to you in no time." She spring to excitement almost instantly.

Then, we catch a glismpe of another arrival. This time, it is a male student who has an oversized figure with black hair with curly edges and a sharp, pointy ahoge on top. He wears a white-buttoned shirt with dark grey trousers and a pair of black glasses. I then wonder why he can stand with those pair of skinny legs, without tripping over.

"Why, hello there, fellow students. Are you here to aid me with carrying my stuff?" He greet us while fixing his look on his glasses. Chihiro then steps up and respond with a smile to our new classmate. "Yes... My name Chihiro Fujisaki. This is Makoto, Taka and Hanako. We are in Class 78th."

"Ah, new faces to meet. It's a pleasure to meet you all, chippers. I am Hifumi Yamada, none other than the Ultimate Fanfic Creator." He proudly introduce his talent of writing fanfictions. "Well, Chihiro, I can see you are the shy girl type, I usually come across this type of person in games. Indeed a character most desirable by men."

"Really...? I play... video games but I... have never come across my kind of nature." Chihiro curiously asks while blushing mildly.

"Believe me. I'm certainly not mistaken, certainly not in my field of specialty. I'll show you all once we load my stuff into my room."

"Alright, we are ready to help, right guys and girls?" I rally all of my fellow comrades into feeling high-spirited. Hifumi then takes another glance but this time towards me. "If I'm not mistaken, you must be the fellow author, Hanako Yuki. Ah, a man of quality in fanfictions!" He gave a smirk look at me, which I feel a little distraught.

"But, my friend... You still have lots of ways to go, about learning the art of fanfiction writing. Yours has a much like a fantasy liking unlike mine which sees the world for what it is." He self proclaims and criticize my work but I give a nod, knowing that I can still learn much from these new peers. "Thanks for the remark. I'll do better, you'll see, Hifumi."

Then, Chihiro asks me about one of my interest in writing fanfictions. I promise that I will show her after we help the newcomers with their belongings. She cheerfully nods and looks around to grab a bag. "O-okay, I-I'll take this one then..."

However, Taka comes in, a little triggered by Hifumi's inconsiderate, ungentleman-like behavior for asking a young lady such as Chihiro to carry a heavy burden on her shoulders. "Mr Yamada. Do you expect a young girl such as Chihiro to carry such a load all by herself?!" Then, Hifumi just scratches his chin in confusion, implying that, "But... It's actually quite light and managable. And she wants to make herself useful."

Kiyotaka could not help but clenches his fist and roars fiercely at the clueless Hifumi for behaving in such a manner. "Chihiro, please let me handle this. This is too great a task for one petite and sweet as you." Taka asks Chihiro to let him take over but Chihiro politely decline, "Taka, it's a-alright ac-tually. I can take care of myself."

Makoto then points out that, "Please, there is no need to fight over this." "Yes, Taka. We too believe Chihiro can handle this." I support Makoto and nod in agreement.

"But, Makoto, Hanako. As a gentleman, it is prudent that we shoulder the burden first, not the girls." Taka refutes in his shouts, as he makes a fair point too. Suddenly, Taka pulls the bag so hard until he fall on his back, causing Chihiro to fall forward. Both lose their grip on the bag and pages come flying out after the impact with the ground.

Quickly, Makoto and I check on them both after putting down some of Hifumi's luggage as Hifumi begin busy collecting his papers back. "Are you two okay?" Makoto and I ask. Taka gets back on his feet and apologizes to Chihiro for causing a ruckus.

"I'm all fine! Chihiro, forgive me for my actions." Taka sincerely apologizes. "Taka, it's okay. Jusy trust me next time. But, thanks for helping me, you guys." We are all blushing after the sweet thanks from Chihiro.

But, when we turn the scattered pages arpund while picking them up. All of our faces instantly heats up at the same time. "What on Earth!? Is all this!? This is..." Makoto's face goes redder than a tomato. Immediately Chihiro's hands fly to cover hers. As for me, I begin stammering and stuttering over the things that one should not have seen. "They are all pornographic fanfictions!"

The sudden look at these ludicrous pieces of work sends Taka flinching continuously. "W-what are these things!? They hurt my eyes, what devious and eyesore things!" Hifumi crosses his arms and feels infuriated, "How dare you refer my art as mere smut! I have you know, they are some of the best fanfiction on the market!"

Chihiro and I keep our eyes closed, trying our best to get rid of these images out of our minds. "I wonder why would anyone read them?!" Makoto shrieks, "Fanfictions!? Dude, there is a complete difference between a porno and fan-written story!" while looking between the comics and Hifumi in horror. "What is the plot even in here?"

"Again, it's not porn! It is the fiction of fans, such as myself! What we all want to see but what the creator will never show..." He striles a pose. "It's my mission in life to inform the uncultured masses of what true art really looks like! And this!" He scoops up one of the comics and holds it in front of Mokoto's face, causing him to nearly throw up from his recent breakfast. "Is it!"

"No, that looks like porn to me."

"Well who asked you-" He yells, but freezes when he sees the girl who just appears, standing in front of him from out of the blue. "Waaaah! It's a ghost lady from the Conjuring!"

Then, Chihiro and I open our eyes and turn to the newcomer. She has short black hair and calculating grey eyes. She wears a white collared shirt with a red ribbon tie, and a black checkered skirt. She then just shakes her head and knock some sense into Hifumi's after his outburst.

"I'm not a ghost." She says it in a straight forward approach. "And that right there, is porn, in black and white, can't deny it."

The two of us look at the perspective girl, "Well then, thanks for proving our point to him." I say. "Uhm...? If you don't mind me asking... Who are you?" Chihiro asks second while looking intimidated by her who is taller than us both.

She then smiles and offers a handshake to Chihiro and then me. "Mukuro Ikusaba is my name." I accept it gladly after Chihiro. "Nice meeting you two, Chihiro, Hanako."

Finally after snapping out of his shocked state, Taka bursts out. "How did you know Chihiro and Hanako's names!?"

"Are you psychic or an agent?" Makoto curiously asks. "It's simple really. I have beem observing you all for several minutes. You're Taka, the one holding those pornographic comics is Hifumi, and the boy with the blush on his face is Makoto." That last remark causes Makoto to turn around and hides his blush until it subsides.

"Really!?" Chihiro squeaks. "That's amazing! We didn't know you were here!" I look at her in amazement, "That's impressive that you are able to hide your presence like that." I complement her stealthy skills.

But, she shrugs as if it's the most natural and typical thing in the world. "I would be worried if any of you had. As a soldier, I've been trained to conceal my presence. You would have to be extremely aware with your surroundings to have noticed me."

Makoto then has a bewildered look on his face. "Really? A soldier? That's so cool!" He suddenly walks up to her. "Does that mean that you're really good with guns or exceptional at hand-to-hand combat?"

Although she tries to conceal her emotions, but she looks to be a little flustered. "I suppose you could say... I'm good at everything?" I was invited to this school because of it..." As she says this she rubs her shoulder with her right hand, which has a tattoo on it.

I then remembered something about that mark. "Mukuro, you wouldn't happen to be in the Fenrir Division, are you?" Mukuro then turns her attention to me, curious to the answer how I know this.

"You heard of it, Makoto?" She asks in surprise. "Yeah, I went there several times to recognize the basic fundamentals of being a soldier during my trip in all Japan."

"Ah, well. It's nice to meet a fellow comrade in this school." She mentions with a smile. "Well, I'm not actually qualified as a soldier but I have some experience as one." I modestly answer while fiddling my hands behind my back.

"In that case, how about a little sparring some time soon?" She requests a duel soon in battle as a soldier's honourable request, I humbly accept. "All right! I could learn a thing or two."

Makoto then volunteers himself to join the training session. Mukuro is glad to see someone interested in this combat regiment.

After all the formalities are done, the six of us make our way to the dorm room with Hifumi and Mukuro's stuff as soon as Hifumi is done collecting his so called "fanfictions". No way we are going to help him and risk our eyes exposed to more engrossing images.