A peculiar club!

A few weeks later...

MC groaned to himself after another tiring day at school. His third year in high school had just started and it already felt like the end due to the teachers not giving the students a break. If he was being honest with himself, he would've liked to stay home playing video games or training as usual.

Though, he knew that doing so would be bad to his social life. Not that he had much, to be fair.

MC turned his head and saw that some of his male classmates were packing up their stuff with excited smiles on their faces, since their girlfriends were waiting for them outside class. This part of the day was a bit soursweet to him, since he had been single for most of his life.

MC had told himself numerous times to go out more and meet some girls in the past, but nothing came out of that. Either he left his other activities early due to his lack of interest or there were never any girls to talk with.

There was ONE case in which he managed to find something akin to a girlfriend, but that relationship didn't go anywhere, and there was no one to blame other than himself, and he knew it.

Still, MC didn't want to think too much about that stuff nowadays. He didn't want to be some kind of womanizer or to be famous. Surviving classes and getting by was enough for him, though he secretly wished that he could do more than survive.

As the rest of his classmates start to leave, MC decides to pack up his stuff as well and leave for his home as soon as possible. He didn't need any more reminders about how far behind with his homework he was or how much of an outcast he was.

However, as soon as he was done packing his stuff up, a girl stood in front of him, which snapped him back to reality.

MC looks at her, and he realizes that it's none other than his annoying yet adorable childhood friend Sayori, who smiles brightly at him. "Heya, MC!"

MC smiles softly at Sayori. "Hey, Sayori. I have a name, you know."

Sayori chuckles. "I know, but I like MC more! I think 'Mister Makoto Chano' is a bit too formal for us, isn't it?"

MC chuckles. "Right... How have you been? I haven't seen you in like... a year or so?"

Sayori's smile falls slightly. "I've been... fine, I guess. You know, doing school stuff and all that. How about you?"

MC suddenly finds himself at a loss for words. He knows that Sayori worried a bit too much for him sometimes, and that he promised her that he'd find something else to do in order to have more social skills before college. Training was something, although it was something he had always done alone, so it probably doesn't even count.

Though, he and Sayori became a little more distant after the first year of high school ended. He used to wait for her right in front of her doorstep to walk towards school alongside her, but that habit had gradually disappeared.

At first, Sayori started to wake up later than usual in some days.

Then, she wouldn't even come out of her house at all at more frequent intervals.

Eventually, MC stopped waiting for her to not fall behind on his classes.

They didn't walk home together either, since Sayori stayed behind for clubs and he didn't.

The pair still cared about each other, but there was a lack of communication which grew as the months passed that neither of them knew how to adress.

Still, MC knew that Sayori still cared for him as a friend would. On one hand, he was sad at the fact that Sayori and him had drifted away somewhat, but on the other, he was glad that Sayori couldn't see that he hadn't done anything productive this past year.

He didn't know what to say right now since he thought he'd never see her again. Though now that he thinks about it, he REALLY should have seen it coming. They both went to the same school, after all.

MC smiles awkwardly. "I've been fine too, I guess. Nothing much to say for myself..."

Sayori raises an eyebrow. "So... Have you joined any clubs yet?"

MC rubs the back of his head sheepishly. "Uh... Well..."

Sayori pouts. "You haven't, have you, silly?"

MC chuckles awkwardly. "What gave it away?"

Sayori sighs. "I don't know, I guess I just had a feeling. In that case... Have you got any clubs in mind?"

MC looks away. "Well... I guess there's the anime club or the gaming club..."

Sayori frowns. "MC... I don't mean to be rude, but... Really?"

MC looks at Sayori with a frown of his own. "Oh, come on! I like those things!"

Sayori rolls her eyes before looking at MC with a worried expression. "I know you do, but I know how awesome you are, silly... You could be doing a lot more with your skills, you know?"

MC looks away from Sayori. "My skills? What are those?"

A small blush forms on Sayori's cheeks. "Well... You're pretty smart and friendly, not to mention that you have a great physique... Hey, do you still train martial arts like you used to do?"

MC looks at Sayori with a small smile. "Yeah, I do! I train when I'm alone. Either that or I play video games and watch anime. Why do you ask?"

Sayori smiles brightly. "That's awesome, MC! I think I know of a club fit for you!"

MC raises an eyebrow. "A club fit for me? Sayori, I don't think there are any sports-related clubs in this school as far as I know."

Sayori looks away sheepishly. "That's the thing. You see... It's... Not really in this school..."

MC looks at Sayori with a confused expression. "What? Is it like... some sort of cross-school thing?"

Sayori shakes her head. "Ehehe... No, not that either. I guess it's more like a... friend-only thing..."

MC crosses his arms with skepticism. "A friend-only thing? Sayori, can you be more direct? What are you trying to offer me?"

Sayori looks at MC with a nervous, yet happy expression. "It's... It's a fighting club!"

MC stares blankly at Sayori. "Sayori..."

"Yes?"

"There's no way I'm going to that club."

Sayori pouts. "Eeeeeehhhh?! Meanie!"

MC nods. "Yeah... I'm gonna go to the anime club."

Sayori pouts harder. "But whyyyyy?!"

MC chuckles. "Well, for starters, you said it wasn't even an official club in this school, so I'd be spending time in something that won't even benefit my studies..."

Sayori points an accusatory finget at MC. "Buuuut! You play video games and watch anime in your free time too! You could spend that time socializing and doing something more productive instead!"

MC continues, knowing that he can't really refute that argument. "Plus, you said it was a friend-only thing, so I don't know if the people there would even want me in..."

Sayori smiles. "I have my ways around that, you know. I could present you myself if you want."

MC continues. "Besides, I'm not really a 'hardcore' or a 'violent' fighter, so to say. I only do it because it brings me some peace and because it helps balance my bad habits."

Sayori leans closer to MC with a smile. "Buuut! You wouldn't have to train alone anymore, MC! Besides, if you join then your bad habits would lessen more and more!"

MC finishes. "And finally, you don't even like fighting or martial arts."

Sayori pouts. "Don't take me for a child, MC!"

MC leans away from Sayori. "I'm not going, Sayori."

Sayori pouts again. "Come on, please?"

MC sighs. "Why do you care so much anyway?"

Sayori smiles sheepishly while looking away. "Well... I... Ah... I'm kinda... the vice president of the fighting club and I told the rest I'd bring a new member today... I think Natsuki made cupcakes and everything... Ehehe..."

MC stares at Sayori in disbelief for a second. "What?! Sayori, don't make promises you can't keep! And... You're the vice president?! Since when are you into martial arts?!"

Sayori keeps smiling sheepishly. "There's some stuff you don't know about me, MC..."

MC stares at Sayori for some moments, not knowing if Sayori is really THAT much of an airhead or if she is incredibly cunning and she had all this planned out from the beginning.

MC lets out a long sigh. "Fine... I guess I can stop by for a cupcake..."

Sayori smiles brightly before taking MC's hand. "YAY! Let's go~!"

MC follows Sayori as they walk through the north-eastern parts of town, which were streets he rarely ever visited.

As MC walked through the area, he noticed that more and more homeless people came into view, and that the enviroment became more and more grey as he walked.

MC whispers to Sayori. "Sayori... Did we go the wrong way?"

Sayori looks back at MC with a smile. "Nope! We're almost there!"

MC raises an eyebrow. "Why did your friends decide to do club meetings in a place like this?"

Sayori looks around the area with a solemn expression. "I know these streets aren't anything fancy or glamorous, but there's a reason we decided to meet up here. We'll explain everything when we get there."

MC decides to nod and stay silent for the time being.

After a minute, MC sees that Sayori was leading him to an abandoned warehouse of sorts. The building looked old, dusty and worn down by time, yet Sayori was walking there as if it was her own house. Deciding to trust her, MC follows Sayori as she swings the entrance door open with enthusiasm.

Upon entering the building, MC notices that, despite looking old like the rest of the building, the room is very spacious, clean and empty. It was a perfect place to train! Was that the reason the members of this club decided to meet up here of all places?

Sayori smiles. "Everyone! The new member is here~!"

MC glares softly at Sayori. "I told you not to call me a 'new member'-"

MC stops talking when he notices a person approaching him.

The girl is tall, has purple eyes, has long purple hair kept by a purple accessory, a sleek and form-fitting bodysuit in deep shades of purple and black adorned with intricate patterns and designs inspired by traditional Japanese motifs, a flowing, knee-length cloak in a rich crimson color, sturdy high-heeled boots in a dark hue featuring subtle accents of silver and a belt around her waist with a sash keeping a sword. The girl almost looked like an elegant ninja of sorts.

The girl talks calmly with a soft smile. "Welcome to the fighting club. Sayori always says nice things about you."

Another girl approaches, and MC takes in every detail about her as well.

This girl is short, has short pink hair with red accessories holding her pigtails, pink eyes, she was wearing a pink jacket, a white shirt with doodles of a cat drawn on it, a couple of shorts, pink sneakers and many bandages around her knuckles and knees. This girl looked like a fighter from the streets, so to say.

The second girl puts her hands on her hips as she speaks. "Seriously? You brought a boy? Way to kill the atmosphere."

A third girl approaches, though MC recognizes who this is.

The girl is tall with long brown hair kept in a ponytail by a black ribbon. She wears a blue pleated skirt, a black open jacket, a green blouse, a golden necklace with a green gem, black knee-high thighhighs and black high heeled boots.

The girl speaks in a friendly tone. "Ah, Makoto! What a nice surprise! Welcome to the club!"

Sayori pats MC on the shoulder before whispering in his ear. "Gotta go change, MC. Make a good impression for me, okay?"

Before MC can say anything, Sayori runs off to the next room with her backpack on her hands.

MC looks at the three girls in front of him with a surprised expression. 'I don't know what to say... This club... is filled with cute girls!'

The pink-haired girl raises an eyebrow at MC. "What are you looking at? If you got something to say, say it."

The purple-haired girl looks at her friend with a small, stern expression. "Natsuki..."

The pink-haired girl crosses her arms. "Just double-checking, Yuri. This guy could have all sorts of intentions for all we know."

MC looks at the girls with some curiosity. He could swear that he's seen these girls before. Perhaps once or twice at school, between corridors and halls. Maybe they went to the same school as him, but they had different groups and classes?

By the looks of it, the girl with purple hair's name was "Yuri" and the pink-haired girl was called "Natsuki".

Yuri shakes her head with a small smile. "It doesn't seem to be the case, Natsuki. Sayori brought him over herself, remember? Besides, it seems like he and Monika know each other, don't you?"

Monika nods. "That's right! It's great to see you again, Makoto."

Monika smiles sweetly, making MC blush a little.

He and Monika DID know each other... Well, more or less. They were on the same class last year, but they rarely talked. Monika was probably the most popular girl on the class- smart, beautiful, athletic...

Safe to say, it was no wonder they didn't talk very often.

MC smiles softly in return. "You too, Monika..."

Then, the door opens and Sayori returns after changing outfit. "I'm back!"

MC turns to look at Sayori, thinking that she changed outfit pretty quickly before his thoughts and attention fixated on her outfit.

Sayori wears a fitted, sleeveless top in a vibrant sky blue color, comfortable yet flexible leggings in a cheerful yellow color, fingerless gloves in a bright orange hue and a pair of sturdy yet lightweight high-top platform converse sneakers in a complementary shade of red.

MC had never seen Sayori like this, and it felt...

Monika smiles. "Okay, everyone! Since Natsuki worked very hard, I'd say we start by giving her a round of applause for her efforts in making delicious cupcakes for our potential new member!"

Sayori nods. "You betcha! Lemme just-!"

Before Sayori can dash towards a nearby tray with a mantel covering it, Natsuki steps in her way with a firm expression. "Hold up! I made them so I'l get them! We both know you're capable of eating one behind all our backs, isn't that right?"

Sayori smiles sheepishly before stepping away. "Ehehe, sorry... Got a little too excited."

Yuri smiles before stepping towards a corner of the room. "I'll prepare some tea if it's fine with everyone."

After a few moments, Natsuki marches back to the group proudly, tray in hand. "Alright, get ready, everyone!"

Natsuki uncovers the tray with a proud grin. "Ta-daa!"

The group look in surprise at the sight of about a dozen white, fluffy cupcakes which were decorated to look like cats. Their whiskers were drawn with icing, and little pieces of chocolate were used as ears. Though what was a little funny to MC was that the cats had small angry expressions, as if they wanted a fight with someone.

Sayori smiles in awe. "OH MY GOSH, SO CUUUUUTE!"

Monika also smiles in amazement. "Natsuki, I didn't know you were so good at baking!"

Natsuk chuckles. "Ehehe, well, you know. Just hurry up and take one."

Natsuki offers the tray to Sayori first and then to Monika before recluctantly offering it to MC.

MC grabs a cupcake and spins it on his hand, looking for the best way to take a bite out of it without ruining its decor too much.

MC notices that Natsuki is quiet, and he gives her a side glance to see what's the matter with her. Upon doing so, MC sees that Natsuki is sneaking some glares at him.

Was she waiting for him to take a bite? Did she feel annoyed at his presence? Did he do something to make her mad?

MC finally bites down, and in doing so, feels the flavors of the icing flood his mouth with a sweet flavor unlike any other. Natsuki was one heck of a baker if she made them herself.

MC gulps down before smiling at Natsuki. "These are delicious. Thanks, Natsuki!"

Natsuki crosses her arms before looking away. "Tch. Don't thank me. It's not like I made them for you or anything."

MC raises an eyebrow. "But... Sayori said you made-"

Natsuki walks away. "Well, maybe! But I didn't make them for YOU specifically, dummy."

MC looks at the pink-haired girl's back with some confusion. It almost seemed like she was annoyed by his mere presence or something. He had never met her before, so why did it seem like she disliked him so much?

Yuri returns to the group carrying a tea set and some plastic cups. She hands one to MC before handing one to the rest of the girls.

MC smiles. "You keep a tea set here?"

Yuri smiles. "It helps calm our nerves, though I'm a little embarrassed about not being able to show you my best set. I'd bring my porcelain set if it wasn't so dangerous. It could break during our training sessions."

Monika chuckles. "Don't be intimidated, Makoto. Yuri is just trying to impress you."

Yuri almost jumps. "Eh?! T-That's not...!"

Yuri looks away.

MC smiles, trying to reassure Yuri. "Well... This is all a bit new for me, but I do like tea and I appreciate the gesture, Yuri."

Yuri looks back at MC with a more calmed expression. "I'm glad..."

Yuri walks away, leaving Monika with MC.

Monika puts her hand on her hip. "So, Makoto... What made you consider joining our fighting club?"

MC's mind freezes at the question. Something tells him that he shouldn't tell Monika that he was dragged there by Sayori. "Well... I haven't joined any clubs yet and Sayori seemed happy here, so..."

Monika giggles. "That's okay, don't feel embarrassed! We'll make sure you feel right at home. As president of the fighting club, it's my duty to make this club a safe place for everyone! You don't have to feel doubtful or afraid here, Makoto. In here we all care for each other as if we were family."

MC looks at Monika with an expectant expression. "Monika... I have to say, I'm pretty surprised. Why did you decide to start your own club? And away from school, no less! You could be a board member for any of the major clubs we have at school! I mean, weren't you a leader of the debate club last year?"

Monika smiles sheepishly. "Ahaha, well... Honestly, I can't stand the politics surrounding the major clubs. When I was in the debate club all we did was arguing about the budget and publicity for the big events. Besides..."

Monika looks at the window with a small, solemn smile. "This club is a product of my love for this town, Makoto... Have you seen how bad the situation is turning around town?"

MC looks down for a moment, thinking about Monika's question. "Well... I...HAVE seen more homeless people around town... And more violence appears on the news as the days pass..."

Monika nods. "Indeed. The government won't do anything about the security around these parts of town, so I decided to do something about it myself. The innocent people around these parts of town need protection, and we'll give it to them, one punch at a time."

MC looks at Monika with some concern. "But... Won't you get in trouble with the authorities, Monika?"

Monika looks at MC with a knowing smile. "Makoto... What would you do if you were witnessing a bully harass a small, sickly kid who can't defend himself?"

MC looks down, glaring softly. "I'd try to do something about it if I could. No one deserves to be treated like that."

Monika nods. "Yeah... We'd get in trouble with the teachers for fighting, but that child will be safe and sound. It might seem like a pretty simple example, but I think it conveys the message perfectly. If there are people weaker than us who need help, it's our duty to help them when they need us. At least, that's the sentiment we all share here."

Natsuki, Sayori and Yuri smile and nod behind Monika.

Monika's smile widens. "Besides, we all like martial arts in some way. I'd rather take something I personally enjoy and make something special out of it. If it encourages others to do their best and get into martial arts, then I'm fulfilling that dream! So far I've seen that we all have our own way to fight and that's something I really like about this club. My mission is to make this club a safe place where we can all care for each other while keeping our turf safe as we all grow stronger in the process, like a family would."

The girls nod behind Monika again.

MC nods. "Wow... When you put it that way I see why you decided to form this club. But... I'm kinda surprised that there aren't more people here. With goals like those I'd figure you want as many members as you can get."

Monika giggles. "I guess I can see why you could put it that way. However, not many people are interested in starting something brand new, especially when it's something that seems as extreme as martial arts. Besides, I have to make sure that none of the members in the club are at risk of being harmed severely, which is why we decided to do a small 'entrance test' to be sure that everyone is well-prepared in case of a serious brawl. The whole purpose of this club is safety, protection and camaraderie, after all."

Sayori cheers. "Monika is a great leader and we'll follow her through thick and thin!"

Natsuki smiles from the corner of the room. "Yup. No one will mess with us and we'll make sure of that the hard way if we have to."

Yuri smiles softly. "We know we are doing something dangerous, but if we can secure the safety of our home, then we are more than willing to jump into the fray."

MC looks at the girls with a smile of his own. 'Wow... Such different girls, all with the same goal. Monika must have worked really hard just to find these three... Perhaps that's why they were so delighted by the idea of a new member joining.'

Yuri smiles softly. "What fighting style do you preffer, Makoto?"

MC looks at Yuri with a worried expression. He knew how to defend himself, but he didn't know much about styles or stuff like that. Judging by her looks, Yuri seemed to have found and perfected her fighting style, while all he did was throw punches, kicks and dodging from time to time.

MC looks at Yuri with a nervous smile. "I... am a... Uhh... Puncher?"

Natsuki briefly looks at MC with a surprised expression.

Yuri smiles awkwardly. "Ah... I see..."

MC chuckles awkwardly, trying to appear more composed. "What about you, Yuri?"

Yuri looks at MC with a focused smile. "Well... Personally, I didn't know what my fighting style would be since I never cared much about fighting in general, but once I read a really good book about ninjas when I was in elementary school, I have found myself immensely attached to Ninjutsu and its history."

MC looks at Yuri in the eye, and he notices that her gaze is lost. For all her shyness, Yuri seemed to transform into an expert when she was talking about something she liked.

Yuri keeps speaking, her eyes never leaving MC's. "Ninjutsu is taken as a joke by a lot of people nowadays but it is actually quite fascinating once you understand it. It encompasses a wide range of skills, including stealth, infiltration, and assassination techniques. Combined with my umbr... Ah... Well... Combined with my skills, it can be deadly if it's done correctly."

MC raises an eyebrow. What was she about to say?

Natsuki approaches the group again. "Yuri is a bit of a showoff when it comes to fighting, isn't she?"

Yuri snaps back to reality and bluches heavily. "Eh?! I... I'm not...!"

Natsuki smirks. "I preffer to duke it out the old-fashioned way. There's no need to overdo things if you get the job done. I mean, why complicate yourself with fancy techniques when a good ol' punch does the trick?"

Monika chuckles while staring at Natsuki. "You're quite direct just like your fighting style, aren't you, Natsuki? But no matter how tough you try to be, you will always be cute to us."

Natsuki looks at Monika as if she had betrayed her. "Huh?! I'm... I'm not cute!"

Sayori sidles behind Natsuki and wraps her arms around her from behind. "Ehehe... Your cupcakes, your clothes... Everything you do is as cute as you are!"

Natsuki yelps. "I'M NOT CUTE!"

MC smiles teasingly. "I don't know, but based on everyone's opinions I'd say you are."

Natsuki detaches herself from Sayori and looks at MC with some anger. "W-Well, what's it to YOU? If I remember correctly, you aren't even in the club yet, idiot!"

Monika gasps. "Oh, that's right! Thanks for reminding me, Natsuki."

Natsuki crosses her arms. "Hmmph..."

Monika smiles at MC. "You still need to pass our 'entrance test' before becoming a fully-fledged member of the club, Makoto!"

MC frowns. "Ah... Well... There's actually a small problem with that."

Monika looks at MC with a confused expression. "Huh? What's that?"

MC decides to be blunt. "I never said I'd join this club. Sayori convinced me to stop by, but I never made any decision. I still have other stuff to do, and... Umm..."

MC loses his train of thoughts as he sees the girls' dejected expressions.

Monika looks down in disappointment. "But... But..."

Yuri looks away. "I'm sorry... I thought..."

Natsuki crosses her arms and looks away indignantly. "Mmph."

Sayori pouts. "Makoto..."

MC frowns. 'Dang it... I'm completely defenseless against these girls... Fine, then. If this is the price I have to pay for spending more time with these beautiful girls...'

MC clears his throat. "Right. I've decided. I'll join the fighting club."

One by one, the girls' eyes lit up.

Sayori wraps her arms around MC and starts to jump up and down excitedly. "Yesss! I'm so happyyy~!"

Yuri exhales a sigh of relief. "You really did scare me for a moment..."

Natsuki scoffs. "If you had came just for the cupcakes I'd have been super pissed..."

Monika smiles sweetly. "That's a relief. I guess there's just one more thing we have to do to make it official."

MC looks at Monika with a small smile. "Right, the whole 'entrance test' thing... What is it about?"

Monika smiles excitedly. "You're going to fight against one of us."

MC detaches himself from Sayori and looks at Monika with a surprised expression. "W-What?!"

Monika chuckles. "Relax, Makoto. This is all controlled practice. Your opponent will be-"

"Me."

Everyone turns their heads to the direction the voice came from and they spot Natsuki looking at MC with a determined expression. "I'll be his opponent."

Monika, Sayori and Yuri look at Natsuki with confused and concerned expressions. Monika speaks in a puzzled tone. "Natsuki? Are you sure? But why-?"

Natsuki scoffs. "Don't worry, Monika. I promise I won't kick this guy's ass too badly."

Monika looks at MC with some concern. "Makoto... Do you accept?"

MC looks at Natsuki with some concern. 'What did I ever do to make this girl so mad at me? Does she want to fight me herself to get me rejected? Still... If I can beat her not only will I enter the club, but I'll hopefully earn her respect!'

MC looks at Monika with a serious expression. "I do."

Sayori and Yuri gasp while Monika only sighs. "Fine... Natsuki, Makoto, step onto the ring and prepare yourselves."

Monika, Sayori and Yuri step away from the white rectangle on the floor of the room while Natsuki and MC stand on opposite sides of it. Natsuki stretches, and MC does the same.

MC looks at Natsuki with some concern. 'Wonder if she has a fighting style like Yuri... Though, judging from her short stature and skinny physique I should be fine if I manage to overpower her.'

After a few moments, Monika speaks. "Ready, you two?"

MC and Natsuki nod.

Monika nods. "Begin!"

Natsuki starts the match by immediately dashing towards MC. MC prepares himself as Natsuki approaches.

Just as Natsuki raises her left arm, MC grabs her fist, barely stopping her punch but feeling her fist hard as stone. 'Woah! She's a lot stronger than she looks!'

Natsuki raises her knee, hitting MC's stomach. "Not bad, bozo!"

MC grunts and does his best to not double over in pain from the sore feeling on his stomach. Sayori puts her hand on her mouth.

Natsuki goes for a chop to the back of MC's head. "But not good enough!"

MC smirks. "You sure about that?"

Before Natsuki hits him, MC sweeps her legs in one swift move, which throws Natsuki off-balance, making her stumble back. Monika smiles.

Before Natsuki can recover, MC throws a quick punch to her chest. "I'll prove I'm good enough, you hear me?!"

Natsuki clutches her chest after being punched, but retaliates with a backwards spinning kick aimed at MC's head. "You smug little-!"

MC crouches for a second to dodge Natsuki's kick before grabbing her shirt and arm. 'Right, just grab two joints, hold her tightly and then-!'

In one swift move, MC slams Natsuki down with her back to the floor.

Natsuki grunts when she feels the rough, cold floor of the warehouse hit her back. "Ugh!"

For a moment, MC sees a small spark appear in Natsuki's eyes, which makes him release her. 'What the-?'

Taking advantage of this, Natsuki raises her leg quickly, kicking MC to ger her off her.

When MC stumbles back, Natsuki stands on her feet and aims her hand at him.

However, before Natsuki can put her idea in action, Monika shouts to stop her. "Natsuki, stop! This is NOT a real fight! If I see one more spark you'll be disqualified!"

Natsuki grunts. "Hmmph, fine!"

MC looks at Natsuki in surprise for a moment. 'What the heck was that?! A spark?! But... There's nothing to make fire with in this place! How did she do-?'

Then, Natsuki's roar snaps MC back to the present, and only then he realizes that she's charging at him with a determined glare. "I'll beat you with no tricks, punk!"

Feeling that Natsuki will punch him again, MC raises his fist and throws a punch. However, Natsuki jumps over him and throws an aerial kick to the back of his head, making Sayori and Yuri gasp.

MC grunts as he feels her sturdy sneakers hit the back of his skull. "Ack!"

Then, Natsuki grabs MC by the shirt and throws a kick to his stomach, sending him away. "You're not good enough for us, weakling!"

MC lands on the other side of the rectangle, clutching his chest and stomach in pain. Natsuki smirks, thinking that she's already won.

However, Natsuki's smirk turns into a surprised expression when she notices MC taking off his school blazer and getting to his feet with a smile.

MC spits out some blood before smirking at Natsuki, feeling his heart pump on his chest, result from experiencing an actual fight with someone who was just as dedicated to martial arts as he was. "Is that all you got?"

Natsuki grunts before launching herself towards MC again. MC copies her, and both fighters jump into the air as they are about to collide with each other.

Natsuki raises her fist in the air, preparing a punch to MC's face.

MC smiles. 'Just as planned!'

Then, MC raises his leg in the air, kicking Natsuki's chest and catching her off-guard.

Before Natsuki can react, MC grabs her wrists and falls to the ground with her below him.

The two fighters fall to the floor, with MC keeping Natsuki firmly in place below him by holding her wrists firmly to the floor over her head.

Natsuki tries to shake MC off her, but the tiredness she felt combined with the pain on her back made her unable to continue struggling. "Ah... Agh... Unf..."

MC copies Natsuki's pants and grunts, continuing to pin her down just in case she wanted to keep fighting. "I... Ah... I win..."

Natsuki looks up at MC, and immediately starts blushing when she realizes the position they're in and how close he is to her face. "Dummy... Get... Ah... Get off..."

MC smiles down at Natsuki. "Do you... give up?"

Natsuki nods. "Yeah... Whatever..."

MC giggles before standing up. Natsuki follows suit, rubbing her back and trying to fight off the blush on her cheeks at the same time.

Monika claps. "Bravo, you two! That was quite entertaining! You two really went all out!"

Sayori cheers. "I knew you could do it, MC!"

Yuri lets out a sigh of relief. "I'm glad no one got hurt too badly. Natsuki, that was a bit much, don't you think?"

Natsuki rolls her eyes. "I could have kept going, but I didn't see the point."

Monika giggles. "Whatever the case is, the result of the match was clear for us to see. This makes it official, then! Welcome to the club, Makoto!"

MC smiles tiredly. "It's an honor to be here."

Monika smiles and pulls out a small black box from her pocket. "Well, since you're an official member now, I think you earned the right to have this."

Yuri looks at Monika in surprise. "Monika, are you sure?"

Monika nods. "I've known Makoto since last year and I can safely say he's a good person. Plus, he earned his place in the club fair and square."

MC looks at the girls with some confusion. "What? What are we talking about?"

Monika looks at MC with a small smile. "A thug tried to mug me a few weeks ago and this fell off his pocket. Upon doing some research I found out that these are the so-called substances some criminals take to give themselves special abilities. I was a bit recluctant to use them at first, but they're more useful than I ever thought. With them we've had quite an easier time dealing with criminals and thugs around town!"

MC looks at Monika with some skepticism. "Special abilities? Monika, the news exaggerate everything and I thought you knew that. I mean, come on. Wings? Super speed? That kind of stuff only exists in comic books."

Sayori steps beside MC with a smile. "No no, she's right, MC! We all have special abilities!"

Yuri nods before snapping her fingers. Suddenly, her shadow rises from the ground and transforms into a group of tentacles. "I can confirm this, Makoto. The substance gave me Umbrakinesis."

MC steps back from Yuri in shock. "WHAT THE-?!"

Natsuki rolls her eyes. "Relax, dummy! That's just her special ability! Look, I'll show you mine."

Natsuki opens her palms, and in a moment, her fists are engulfed in flames. "See? Mine's pyrokinesis."

MC looks at Natsuki in awe. "Woah..."

Sayori giggles before pointing her index finger to the sky. In a moment, her finger shines bright enough to make everyone look away from her finger. "Yup! Mine's lumokinesis! Flashy, isn't it? Ehehe..."

MC looks away from Sayori's finger, though he smiles at his friend. "That's amazing..."

Monika stops holding the box and it suddenly starts to float on its own. Then, Monika's hair starts to levitate and in a moment, some small objects from the room levitate as well. Monika giggles at MC's surprised expression. "Mine is psychokinesis. See? I know it sounds absurd, but it's the truth."

MC looks at the girls in awe before a huge smile forms on his lips. "This is amazing! And... Are you sure that the substance doesn't have a downside?"

Monika shrugs as the girls deactivate their powers. "Pretty minor downsides if we're being honest. Natsuki loses her breath if she uses too much fire, Sayori feels her energy deplete faster if she uses her power too much, Yuri feels nauseous if she uses hers a lot and I get a headache if I abuse my power. However, we'd have to be using our powers to our limits to really feel their negative effects, so I'd say it's worth it."

MC looks at the small box in Monika's hand for a second. "And... You say that this fell out of some thug's pocket?"

Monika nods. "Yes... If you ask me I'd say it was a lucky blow. We'd have a lot more trouble protecting our turf without these. So, what do you say, Makoto?"

MC looks at Monika with a smile. "I trust you, Monika. I'll do it."

Monika smiles. "Thanks, Makoto. Come on, grab one."

Monika opens the box to reveal a group of test tubes with a red substance inside them. The substance looks like drying blood due to its sticky-looking texture and liquid characteristics, but when MC looks at them from another angle, the substance's color changes to purple.

MC takes a tube and opens it by removing the cork from the top. As soon as he does so, a particularily enticing smell of apples delights his nostrils.

MC looks at Monika. "So... How does this go?"

Monika closes the box and puts it back on her pocket. "Simple. Drink it and your powers should manifest in about six hours or so."

MC groans. "Six hours?"

Sayori nods. "I know that feeling, MC."

MC sighs. "Alright... This is for all of you."

MC takes a breath before drinking the tube's contents in one gulp. After doing so, MC hands the test tube to Monika, who looks satisfied. "Alright... Now all you have to do is wait, Makoto."

MC smiles. "Right... So... What do we do now?"

Monika puts her hands on her hips. "Well... I think we should carry on with our daily routine while your power manifests. We usually train for about an hour before doing our rounds around the district in case we spot something that requires our attention. Then, we head back here after an hour to report our findings and we plan in case we all need to intervene somewhere."

MC raises an eyebrow. "Doing your rounds?"

Monika nods. "Yeah. Think about it like taking a walk around town. We only engage in fights in case we see something that requires immediate action, like a robbery. We also do our rounds in pairs just in case one of us isn't enough."

MC nods in understanding. "I see... So..."

Monika smiles sweetly. "I think we can skip our training for today since most of the time was spent on your initiation. We can still do our rounds, though. Since you're new you get to pick who you want to do your first patrol with."

Sayori smiles excitedly.

Yuri smiles nervously.

Natsuki crosses her arms with a small smile.

Monika simply stands with a calm smile.

MC looks at the four girls in front of him with a troubled expression. 'Who to go out with? All of these girls are amazing in their own right, yet now I'm forced to choose just one. I bet I can get closer to whoever I pick, and that's obviously going to be...'

Yuri, the mysterious swordswoman...?

Sayori, the cheerful ray of sunshine...?

Natsuki, the fiery melee fighter...?

Monika, the perfect leader of the club...?