Chapter Text
' Congratulations, Miss Mahiru Koizumi. You have been scouted by the excellent staff of Hope's Peak Academy to attend next year's student body as the Ultimate Photographer. We're happy to inform you we cordially extend this invitation for you to enter your tertiary education at Hope's Peak Academy. Included is an orientation guide of Hope's Peak. '
That was all her letter had to say. With the prestigious reputation Hope's Peak already held and maintained for decades, there wasn't really a need to further grandstand. There wasn't a person alive who didn't recognise what the school truly meant. With enlisting its student body via scouting those with talents worthy of being dubbed 'Ultimate', being invited to attend as a student was like being celebrated for your skills. A true recognition of who you were and what you brought to the world. The 'Ultimate' title was a rare and exclusive recognition—a mark of true talent.
Some considered the status of 'Ultimate' akin to that of being dubbed a celebrity. Others saw it as a mark of those who were worthy of greater things. And yet, a certain few saw it as an elitist symbol. But what each group all agreed on was a phrase you couldn't go without the moment the school was brought up. If you graduate from Hope's Peak Academy, you're set for life. Success for alumni was practically guaranteed. The 'Ultimate' title was not just a label, but a life-changing recognition of one's talent and potential. To be considered Ultimate level was to be handed a key of success to one's own journey.
There, in front of that very academy, stood Mahiru Koizumi. With the invitation letter firmly clutched in her hand, the newly dubbed Ultimate Photographer looked up at the academy walls longingly. It wasn't like her to feel so prestigiously... but at the end of the day, she couldn't help but be welled up with pride. Like her mother before her, Mahiru's photography skills had been recognised. She'd do her mother proud... with that mantra in her heart, she accepted the invitation, planning on attending Hope's Peak the coming April. With the deadline of her first term's beginning drawing near, Mahiru had finally walked up to the school gates, firmly stepping foot from the pavement onto the brick path of Hope's Peak Academy's entrance... She remembered taking a deep breath as she strode confidently towards the front doors of the main hall. She remembered the cool morning air pushing her closer to her destination...
And then she didn't remember at all.
Prologue:
No Man Is an Island.
With the rhythmic sway of the ocean's waves, a young girl found herself slowly waking up from the cries of the seagulls outside. Like a siren luring her to press on, a flurry of footsteps outside her door finally caused her to stir awake. Blinking in profound confusion, the cramped, cabin-like room caught her off guard as her eyes finally opened. As if she were a sardine being shipped away for purchase, she found herself in a dim, grey container, only furnished with a bed. With a slight feeling of weightlessness beneath her, she rolled over to the side of the bed with a yawn as she took in that she fell asleep fully clothed, shoes and all. Sitting on the bed's edge, she looked at her surroundings once more. A constant alarming thought is all that kept her awake. 'I have no idea where I am... How did I get here?''
Sighing, the girl rubbed her eyes, hoping to regain her memory and shake off her sleepy sensation. She diligently went over everything in her mind, trying to recall any and all details she could. Her determination to remember, to ensure she hasn't lost her mind, is all that keeps the throbbing headache she'd been enduring at bay.
' Mahiru Koizumi... I'm 17. I just got accepted into Hope's Peak. I'm the Ultimate Photographer...' She recalled internally, making sure there was no detail she'd forgotten other than how she arrived at that location. However, despite everything, the fact of where she was never came.
Forcing herself up, she managed to stumble towards the door with unsteady footing—as if she was relearning to walk again after several days without using her legs. Her muscles ached, and her head spun with each step. Sliding the metallic hatch-like door open, she found herself in a narrow hallway lined with several of the same doors. Glancing at her surroundings, Mahiru struggled to recall the location, looking alien to her all the while. That mystery wouldn't last for very long, however, as the metal tomb she found herself in began to shake violently—a loudspeaker echoing in her chambers. On the wall next to her, a lone monitor hung, buzzing as it flicked to life.
"Erh... Is this on? Oh! Splendid!" A cheekily high-pitched voice cheered, sounding crackly thanks to the shoddy condition of the speakers. Mahiru blinked in confusion as she looked at the monitor... because the voice seemingly belonged to whatever was on the screen. And it wasn't a person, per se. A white, fluffy stuffed animal was front and centre on the monitor. Dressed in pink, it smiled at the camera with cheerful cuteness... Oddly, causing some slight unease. "Good morning and hello, my lovely students! Time to rise and shine~! As you can probably tell by now, everything's up and running! It's perfect timing because we're set to dock at our location in less than 20 minutes! Make sure your bags are ready and that you're ready to depart the boat soon! Love, love!" With Mahiru's questions all unanswered, the monitor flicked off.
' Boat...? Did that rabbit say we're on a boat? '
"What the... Hey! Why don't you come back and explain yourself?! Jeez..." Mahiru scoffed, her voice echoing down the hall. With a distant shuffling, Mahiru heard footsteps approaching from her left. Turning her head, Mahiru saw another girl in the distance, looking at a different monitor. As she hesitantly approached, the redhead noticed her. "Hmm? Oh! Another person!"
"...Hi there," The girl mumbled, taking the time to word her thoughts carefully before speaking them. "Do you happen to know where we are?"
"Ugh, you too, huh?" Mahiru sighed, folding her arms as she worriedly looked off to the side. "I only woke up a moment ago to that strange announcement. Hey, come on! I want answers from that thing, and we won't get them just standing around here. I'm gonna go get that thing to talk. Are you coming with me?"
"...um." The hooded girl bit her lip, trying to form the sentence she wanted to say in her head. However, it seemed Mahiru got impatient with her as she began speaking once again.
"Hey. It... it'll be alright. Here, I'm Mahiru Koizumi. What's your name?" Mahiru offered, lowering herself a little to get on the other girl's level.
"Chiaki Nanami... It's nice to meet you."
"Listen, Chiaki. I'm gonna go figure out how we got here. You should come with." The redhead attempted to appear more confident, noticing Chiaki's anxious hesitance. Taking charge, Mahiru began walking down the hall, a still-sleepy Chiaki slowly trailing after her. Eventually, she decided to go ahead and grab Chiaki's hand, leading her down the halls. Unable to do otherwise, Chiaki was taken along.
"Oh? It sounds like there are people there..." Chiaki pointed out as the echoes of voices began to get louder as soon as they reached a door. As Mahiru started to open it, sunlight poured in, momentarily blinding the girl behind her as they stepped out into the sun.
As her vision came back to her, Chiaki stumbled forward as she was freed of Mahiru's grasp. Crashing into a railing, Chiaki blinked the bright light away as the vast tides of the ocean came into view. Peering out beyond the horizon, Chiaki shielded her eyes with her hand to see further out. "It really is a boat..."
"Land ho!!!" Someone else had called out, startling her slightly at the yell. Looking up, Mahiru spied the owner of the voice dangling by hand from much higher up on the boat, standing on top of a higher floor's balcony railing. As she peered at the owner of the voice, her head tilted downward towards the deck, becoming slightly alarmed at the massive crowd of people.
"Uhuhm... Y-You should probably g-get down from there!! It can be dangerous..." A mousey girl requested so quietly that the girl up above likely didn't hear her.
"What, what, what?! You must have super mega ultra vision! Ibuki can't see anything!" Another girl sitting atop the bow calls over her shoulder, trying to peak into the ocean for a sign of land.
"That's because you're looking in the entirely wrong direction. It's dead ahead." A large boy scolded, crossing his arms with a huff. "And you! Get down from there, now!"
"Eh, such a bother." The tanned girl above shrugged one-handedly as she slid down the side of the ship, rolling as she landed back down on the deck, much to the mousey girl's relief.
"Ah, pardon me... it has been quite some time now. Has anyone seen the staff of this vessel? I'm afraid I still have not seen any besides the announcement earlier on." A blonde, regal woman asked, causing the boys next to her to look around. "With that, on top of not remembering how I came aboard this ship, I'm afraid I am simply plain bewildered."
"'fraid not, sugar~ But don'tchu worry 'bout a thing! I'll whip up a crazy special dish to get that memory factor pumpin'!" A short boy next to her claimed, much to her excitement.
"Ah, shall you? Excellent! I am looking forward to it at the utmost!" The blonde smiled, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
As Mahiru began to migrate towards the group, she noticed Chiaki falling behind. "Are you coming? We won't figure out anything on our own, you know."
"Uh... There's a lot of people here..." The still-sleepy Chiaki mumbled, pouting slightly as she toyed with her sweater-paws.
"Ah. How nice of you to finally show your faces." The large boy from earlier chided, approaching the two new arrivals. "It's about time."
"Hey! There's no need for such a sarcastic tone!" Mahiru scolded, hands on her hips as she scoffed in his face. "We only just woke up here, so you know. In a strange situation like this, it's up to the boys to protect us girls, so how about you quit nagging and tell us what's going on here?"
"Actually, we were just about to discuss that matter. You're not alone in your predicament. We all only woke up on this ship a mere moment ago—around the time of that rabbit's announcement." He huffed, swiftly turning on his feet to storm back towards the group at large. "You two are the last we were waiting for, so come. Let's begin our discussion."
"Eeeehhhh? How did you know? What if there's totally more people coming?" The girl from all the way across the deck called out, somehow hearing the conversation from at the edge of the bow.
"There were only sixteen rooms. There are sixteen of us here. It's simple, really." The large blonde boy rolled his eyes, turning to Mahiru and Chiaki. "We already briefly began, so I'll catch you up to speed... but it's likely not much more than the two of you happen to know. All sixteen of us awoke aboard this vessel in one of the many rooms. At the sound of that rabbit's announcement, we gathered here. Not one of us is able to recall how we came aboard nor where we are headed. However, what you may or may not have figured out... is all of us are scheduled to attend Hope's Peak Academy in the coming semester. I assume the same is true of you two?"
"Oh... So everyone here is an Ultimate, too?" Chiaki asked, raising a finger as she came to that conclusion.
"Yeah! Check it out. We're all Ultimates, too." A brightly dressed boy exclaimed, his razor-sharp teeth sticking out in a shark-like smile.
"Yeah, I was meant to go to Hope's Peak next week. I was asleep, then boom, I was no longer home." The tanned girl from earlier said, carefree as ever. "No clue how I got on this boat, either..."
"Next week?" A raspy-voiced boy inquired, rubbing his chin as he repeated her words. "How interesting."
"...I see. That's concerning... I think." Chiaki hummed, struggling to form sentences in her mind due to the twinge of anxiety eating up at her.
"Thank you!" A spiky-haired boy cried out, sighing a breath of relief. "It was like I was the only one who found this situation strange!"
"No, you're not. However, there's no merit in causing panic for no reason." The large blonde boy scolded, backed up by an equally large boy, except he was large in the muscle department.
"In a situation like this, you have to toughen up and show some spirit!!!!" A burly man shouted loud enough that Mahiru could have heard him from the other side of the boat.
"Maannn... I just wanna go home. I don't care about some boat or whatever. Can we just turn around and get back to the dock?!" The brightly coloured boy whined.
"Boys..." Mahiru groaned under her breath. "Are you already giving up, sulking about? In a circumstance like this, it's on you to man up and help out!"
"...You said earlier, are there no crew on this boat?" Chiaki inquired towards the blonde girl, quickly changing the topic before an argument could break out.
"Oh, no... not that we have been able to locate, by any matter. However, the captain's quarters were locked hella tight!" She smirked proudly, although pronouncing her slang slightly oddly, causing Mahiru to wonder if she could be a foreigner of some sort. "Other than the announcement earlier, it would seem this boat is abandoned by staff."
"I wonder if it's some sort of automatic boat deal, then?" The brightly coloured boy considered, toying with his beanie as he looked off towards the approaching land mass.
"Finding oneself aboard Charon's skiff, crossing the River Styx into the unknown void of the Pacific? Bwahaahahaaha!! What ferryman wouldn't cower in my presence?!" A boy called out from the shadows of the ship's interior.
"N-No, no, no, no! I-I'm sure the crew are just out back, preparing for our magnificent arrival!" The short boy stuttered, dripping with sweat as he slightly shook from his stress.
"...Arrive where? Does anybody know where we're headed?" Chiaki tilted her head, holding onto the straps of her backpack for mental support as the spiky-haired boy sighed.
"We were trying to discuss that when we came out here. We only woke up not that long ago. You arrived relatively around the same time as the rest of us." he sighed, looking towards the rest of the group for input.
"Terrible... just pure terrible!!! With the back half of the ship on lockdown, I wasn't able to locate a bathroom at all!" The burly one from earlier grunted, clenching his fists tight. "At this rate, I'm gonna have to start thinking of plans!"
"I-It's only been ten minutes, big guy! H-Hold it together!" The boy in the brightly coloured jumpsuit tried to console him, but it was no use.
"...but if the back of the ship is locked, wouldn't it make sense if the staff were on that half?" Chiaki hummed, only to be shot down.
"Unless they're purposefully hiding, I would beg to differ. The doors contained windows, meaning we were able to see into the rooms we could not access from one. According to the ship's map, however, that room would not be large enough to contain more than two people. Comfortably, anyway." A silver-haired girl shook her head, pointing to one of the maps spoken about hanging from the wall.
"What bullshit. They got a lot of fuckin' nerve if they think they can kidnap me of all people!" A much smaller blonde growled, hands stuffed into their pockets, hiding their face behind a hat.
"Is that...?" Mahiru blinked in surprise at the sound of the yelling.
"I agree... nobodies like me are one thing, but kidnapping a Kuzuryu clan member? It seems like quite the situation!" The raspy-voiced boy chuckled with odd delight.
"Oh yeah? And how the fuck do you know that, huh?!" The fancy-suited blonde scoffed. "Knowing who I am is one thing, but how the fuck do you know everyone , huh? You got somethin' to do with this, ya lanky piece of shit?"
"There's no need for such language!" Mahiru scolded. "Honestly, have a little respect."
"Tch... you just try and make me, bitch."
"ENOUGH!!!" The burly one shouted, ceasing their bickering instantly. "Right now, we don't have the luxury of not getting along! If we wanna figure out what's going on, you two gotta behave and respect one another! Is that clear?!"
"Not my fault this bitch has an attitude..." The blonde muttered under their breath.
"IS. THAT. CLEAR!?" He repeated, making the blonde one sigh and nod silently.
"Aww, splendidly done, Nekomaru! I can always count on you to eliminate quarrels. Just remember, yelling at the top of your lungs is still a bad thing!" A squeaky voice interrupted, causing everyone to stop what they were doing and look for the source.
"What the hell was up with that voice? You some sorta circus act?" The well-suited blonde inquired, to which the boy dubbed Nekomaru shook his head.
"That wasn't me... SHOW YOURSELF!!! WHERE ARE YOU HIDING?!" He suddenly began shouting, causing those around him to wince and cover their ears.
"Eh? Then whose voice was it? Was it this little girl's?" The tanned girl inquired as she towered over a petite girl in a kimono.
"Eww! No way, I'd never have such an ugly voice! It was probably that one over there." She snickered, immediately pointing to the mousey girl.
"Y-You're shifting the blame to me, a-already?!" She cried, curling up in on herself as she slightly trembled.
"Actually, it was my voice!" The squeaky voice continued... sounding oddly familiar.
"Hey, isn't that the rabbit from earlier?" The spiky-haired boy pointed out, turning to the front of the ship's bow.
"Ooo! I can tooootally see that!" The horned girl sitting atop the bow nodded enthusiastically.
"We're due to arrive in only a few minutes. Is everyone ready to depart?" The voice called again as the rabbit from earlier hopped up and over the side of the bow, startling everyone with its physical presence.
"Oh my!" The regal girl gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. "The rabbit from earlier... it can really move!"
"What the—I thought that was some shitty graphic! What the hell's a stuffed animal doin' here?!" The beanie-wearing boy cried out.
"Aww, why thank you! I am a squeezably soft stuffed animal!" It replied, going as far as to give him a thumbs up. Dawned with a skirt, bib and wings, all in bright pink, it almost looked like some sort of magical girl... rabbit... thing. "I may not look the part, but it's me! Your lovely teacher, Usami!"
"W-What the... I'm not awake, am I? I'm still asleep?" The shortest boy chuckled in disbelief.
"...you're definitely awake, buddy." The beanie-wearing boy grimaced as they stood together, both staring at the rabbit dubbed Usami in a mixture of awe and trepidation.
"Fufu, look at me go! Isn't your lovely teacher so cute and lovable in this form?" Usami praised herself, throwing her hands up with excitement as she hopped from one foot to the other. "Aww, it's so cute when it's all put together, isn't it?"
"H-Hold on... I need a moment to process this..." Mahiru shuddered, looking somewhat faint.
"Okie-dokie! Make sure you're not getting seasick, alright?"
"The hell... some sorta mascot?" The well-suited blonde huffed, looking Usami up and down. "Too small to be some fuckin' costume. Probably remote-controlled or some shit."
"Pretty advanced for a toy..." The beanie-wearing boy added, his worry over Usami slightly changing into intrigue. "Hey! How do you operate? Can I know your specs?!"
"That hardly matters at the moment. More importantly, based upon its words, you! You seem to know a lot about our current situation!" The large blond boy inquired, causing a slight confusion in Usami.
"Huh? Of course I do! I'm the lead teacher of this school trip, after all!" Usami warmly opened her arms as if that were to answer any of the underlying questions.
"'School trip'? Did you just say that this is a school trip?" The raspy-voiced boy inquired.
"Huh? Why are you all..." Usami trailed off, mumbling something under her breath. "Our class is first to arrive on this hopeful trip, but yeah! This is the biggest event of the school year! Don't tell me you don't remember... Ah! I get it. Is this a prank on your teacher?"
"Prank? Is this all just a prank to you?! How did we get here?!" Mahiru demanded, but before Usami could respond, the ship began grinding to a halt as it approached the dock and shoreline.
"Oh, we're here, we're here!!! Grab your bags and get settled! Your teacher will join you shortly. I've updated your e-handbooks to include a map of the island, so get yourselves set up in the cottages provided! They've already been assigned, so there's no need to worry! I'll be a little bit, so explore and have fun! I'll see you all later for lunchtime!"
"Hey! Wait, come back here—" Mahiru shouted, only for Usami to dive off the edge of the boat. The horned girl peered over the edge but came back up with a disappointed frown.
"She's gone. Vanished, like poof!"
"Without so much as a splash? Where did she go?" The spiky-haired boy inquired, racing over to peer over the edge himself.
"Hey... that thing said the word 'Island', didn't it?" The beanie-wearing boy shuddered. "Does that mean this isn't the mainland? Or... a-any kind of mainland? We're on some island?!"
"According to the map, these 'cottages' she mentioned should be to the northeast." The raspy-voiced teen hummed, looking down at a tablet-like device. "I think it'd be best to do as she says for the time being... we don't know her intentions or what she'd do if we went against her wishes."
"That's... not a bad suggestion, but... hey! Wait a sec, where'd you get that?" The spiky-haired boy suddenly called out.
"Oh, this? It's that 'e-handbook' she mentioned. It seems to be an electric student ID. I found it in my pocket a moment ago!" he chuckled, not a sense of worry or fear on his face.
"A-Are we really gonna do what that rabbit thing says?!" The short one shuddered, looking around from person to person nervously.
"I see no reason to defy her just yet. For all we know, she may have good intentions." The regal girl hummed, tapping the side of her chin as she thought. "Though, I am still worried about the state of how we got here. I do not remember consenting to such a trip."
"It seems we'll have to get answers later. For now, let us depart this boat and explore the island." The large boy instructed, pointing demandingly towards the dock. "Even you skinny types should be quick enough to do a thorough search at a good pace. Let us meet up at these cottages in an hour. That rabbit 'Usami' mentioned seeing us at lunch. According to these e-handbooks, it is only 8 a.m. That gives us plenty of time to explore and discuss our findings before we're interrupted. Unless there are any objections, let us be off!"
"Hey, w-what about..." The spiky-haired boy attempted to speak but quickly deflated as the group sauntered off and split apart across the beach. Soon, only four people remained behind. Mahiru, Chiaki, the spiky-haired boy, and the raspy-voiced boy. Leaning against the railing, the spiky-haired boy heaved heavy breaths, looking quite faint.
"Ah...! Are you alright?" The other boy asked him, looking quite worried when Mahiru and Chiaki walked over. "Oh, hm... It might be best to not crowd him right now. How about you leave him to me? That way, he can be taken care of without being overwhelmed?"
"...Are you gonna be okay?" Chiaki asked, tilting her head slightly, holding tightly onto her straps.
"Y-Yeah, just..." The spiky-haired boy's eyes closed tight as he sat himself down, holding onto his head. He looked quite panicked, which Chiaki couldn't blame him for.
"At least you're being reliable. Keep it up." Mahiru sighed as she spoke to the raspy-voiced one. "What's your name, anyhow? I'm Mahiru Koizumi, this here is Chiaki Nanami."
"Oh, me? Aha... Nagito Komaeda." He politely smiled, bending down to sit next to the spiky-haired boy, making sure he was alright. "Pleasure to meet you both!"
"...Take care." Chiaki smiled, giving Nagito and the spiky-haired boy one last glance before turning towards the dock. Despite the strangeness, the overwhelming stimulation, and the stress of the situation, the thing she currently felt most worried about was somewhat trivial. She felt a little overdressed for an island, feeling swelteringly hot in her hoodie. Hopefully, it would be a more comfortable temperature in these 'cottages' they were told about?
"I'm gonna go find everyone else and figure out their names. See if I can't figure out a thing or two about this 'island'. Are you comin'?" Mahiru asked, to which Chiaki slowly shook her head.
"...I'm gonna go to these cottages. I'm a little tired...I think." She admitted with a yawn, taking slow, wobbly steps onto the dock as she stepped off of the boat.
"Well... alright." Mahiru sighed, looking down at the e-handbook she'd pulled out of her shirt's pocket. According to the map she was provided, there were five key locations to check out on that island. Deciding to venture them in a clockwise fashion, Mahiru and Chiaki split ways, with the former going west and the latter going northeast.
~♥️~
As Mahiru followed the sandy dirt path, a building in the distance soon came into view. A large structure that looked about three stories tall with a wide fenced-off tarmac behind it... With planes littered across the tarmac, it was no mistake to consider it a runway. There was no doubt—it was an airport!
Striding inside, Mahiru glanced around in hopes of finding potential airport staff to talk to but found nothing of the sort. The only other person within the building was one of the people she'd arrived on the boat with, one of the boys she hadn't talked to yet. He was dressed a little crazily, it made her curious as to what sort of person he could really be? If that boy from earlier was right, everyone was an Ultimate, just like her... what could he be the Ultimate of?
"Hey. I'm—" Mahiru began as she approached, only for him to close his eyes and put his palm up towards her, stopping her in her tracks.
"Hold it there, sinner. If you hold this existence dear, I suggest you retreat!" He said with a dramatic overtone, causing Mahiru to sputter in surprise. "If you value your life, do not come closer."
"I... What?" Mahiru muttered in confusion. "Are you threatening me?"
"Hmm... it seems you're not afraid. Even upon my warning, still you are not afraid of one such as me? Is it bravery or foolishness, I wonder? Even as I stand here menacingly, you approach me with an utmost determined glare! Even though you should be afraid, you approach me quickly, like a student scrambling to finish the final problems on an exam..." The boy chuckled, throwing up his hands in a weird stance. "Fret not. I shall honour such determination by allowing you my name... do not howl in fright when I tell you... that I am Gundham Tanaka! You may cower now if you wish, as you realise that I am the one who will one day rule this world!"
"...excuse me?" Mahiru narrowed his eyes in disbelief. What on earth was he talking about?
"Now, I've answered your query. It is time for you to respond in kind. I shall ask now; whose master are you?"
"...what? Master? What are you talking about?" Mahiru shook her head free of her stupor, placing both hands on her hips as she locked eyes with the weird boy dubbing himself 'Gundham'.
"Which tribe forged your ancient name?! Which familiar do you have at your beck and call of companionship?! Answer me!" Gundham demanded.
"Quit yelling at me! I don't know what you're on about!" Mahiru seethed as the sound of footsteps echoed throughout the airport from someone else's approach.
"Damnit... no dice, man." Another boy from the boat called out as he entered the room, the one wearing the bright yellow jumpsuit and beanie.
"Ah... I take it your expedition yielded no merit..." Gundham clicked his tongue disapprovingly.
"...Yeah, yeah, man. Whatever you say." The other boy rolled his eyes.
"'Expedition'? What are you talking about?" Mahiru asked, which caused the beanie-wearing boy to perk up.
"Well, I went to go see if any of those planes were the real deal... sadly, they're all just for show."
"'Just for show'?" Mahiru parroted, urging the boy to continue.
"None of them even have an engine. If it was just damaged or somethin', I could fix it, but they're completely missing." He explained, glancing out the window over to the aeroplanes in question. "It's like whoever runs this place wanted to make sure we couldn't get off the island."
"It must've been that thing calling itself 'Usami'... er, whoever's controlling it, I mean." Mahiru hummed, placing a finger up to her face as she gave it further thought.
"Ah, well... no point lettin' it dampen our spirits, ey? More importantly, you and me haven't introduced ourselves yet, yeah?" The boy asked before giving her a wink and a thumbs up. "The name's Kazuichi Soda, Ultimate Mechanic atcha service! But... more importantly, what's your name?" Kazuichi smiled, appearing rather relaxed for the circumstances.
"Mahiru Koizumi." she smiled. "I'm the Ultimate Photographer," Mahiru added, giving a small affirming nod as the two smiled at each other. "You're the Ultimate Mechanic, huh? I guess that means you'd know for sure those planes are bust."
"Yeah... all sortsa stuff can go wrong when it comes to engines. Most things I could fix, and some things are irreparable, but to actually go and remove the thing? Whoever's in control of that stuffed animal wants to keep us here for sure." Kazuichi sighed, scratching the side of his face with a huff. "Ah well, it can't be that bad. I, uh... see you already met Gundham?"
"Yeah." Mahiru scoffed, folding her arms as she glared at the boy across from them.
"He give you the weirdo shtick as well?" Kazuichi asked, to which Mahiru firmly nodded. "Yeah, he's a bit of an odd one. Took me a bit to even get what he was tryin' to say. Freakin' weirdo."
"You could understand him?" Mahiru blinked in surprise.
"Eh... kinda? Turns out if he asks you some crap about familiars or whatnot, he's talkin' about a pet. Dude's the Ultimate Breeder. Trains animals 'n' stuff." Kazuichi shrugged.
Mahiru hummed, turning to the boy in question to see he was playing with a small bundle of hamsters in his hands... maybe he wasn't as bad as his first impression would imply? Either way, she wasn't in the mood to go talk to him again just yet. "I see..."
"Whatever. Even with weirdos like him, I still plan on enjoyin' this vacation as much as possible!" Kazuichi grinned widely, his teeth almost looking like a shark's razor-sharp smile.
"'Vacation'? For a second, I thought you might actually not be clueless." Mahiru huffed, folding her arms.
"Whad'ya mean?" Kazuichi blinked in confusion. "This is just a 'school trip', according to that furball."
"You seriously believed that thing? We're not on a school trip. We're victims of a kidnapping!" Mahiru yelled.
"H-Hey... c'mon. It's not like we're being made to do anything dangerous." Kazuichi stuttered, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. "As long as we don't panic, it's all good! So... w-what are you sayin' we do?"
"I'm saying that you should man up and start taking this seriously! This isn't the time to be lounging around, you know!" Mahiru scolded, her hands firmly on her hips with a scowl. "We've been taken to some far-off island without our consent. Times like these are when the boys have to step up and take care of us girls!."
"I didn't say things are perfect, just that we shouldn't bother panicking..." Kazuichi mumbled to himself, turning to look out the window looking over the planes rather than continue the conversation. It seemed, with that, Mahiru's time at the airport was done. With a huff, she stormed out the front entrance, not looking back.
~♥️~
Continuing her walk, Mahiru followed the main path along the mysterious island up until she came across what looked to be a parking lot. Confused, Mahiru paced over as she approached what looked to be an average supermarket. The words 'Rocket Punch' were dawned on a garish sign over the front entrance. With no cars in the parking lot, she expected that it'd be the same story as the airport with, yet again, no staff inside. Just as she expected, no staff members were present indoors, however, there were three girls within that she remembered seeing on the boat, causing a ruckus.
Amidst the quiet of the supermarket, a lively exchange caught Mahiru's attention. "Come on, come on! You'll buy it for me, won't you~?" The short girl in a kimono was pleading, tugging at the bandaged arm of the mousey girl.
"I-It's not that I won't do it... I-I just don't have any money!" The mousey girl sniffled, tears welling up in her eyes as the kimono-wearing one continued to tug.
"Y-You really won't buy one for me? Y-You... You're so mean!! She huffed, throwing the mousey girl's hand away as she stormed off.
"I don't see what the big deal is. Just take it! No one's here, you know." The third girl advised, a smug grin on her face as she used the bottom of her t-shirt like a sack to hoard goods in as she shoved things off of the shelves into it. "Come on, Mikan! Join me!"
"B-But... won't 'Usami' show up and tell us off again?" The one referred to as 'Mikan' asked hesitantly as she watched the horned girl continue to shoplift.
"Eh... Ibuki thinks it'll be perfectly fine!" She replied, attempting to walk out the door with her goods before a metal shutter slammed down in front of her, causing her to walk into it face first, dropping her items on the floor with a metallic bonk. "Ow... N'aww, nevermiiiind."
"Jeez, that rabbit thing literally just told us that. You must be dumber than ants to forget!" The kimono wearer snickered.
"You'll never know what's possible without effort! That's why Ibuki puts effort into everything!" The one calling herself Ibuki replied with a triumphant smile. "Oh, my, my! I nearly walked right into you! Sorrrryyyy. Ibuki didn't notice!"
"That's fine." Mahiru waved her off, now under the centre of attention, as the trio finally realised she was present. "Let's see... I'm Mahiru Koizumi! It's nice to meet you all."
"Ah, I see, I see... Mahiru. Maaaah heeeee rooooo... Perfectly splendid and splendid can get! As introductions go, Ibuki gives it a seven!" Ibuki nodded proudly. "Though, you could have gotten bonus points for including your talent."
"Ah, right..." Mahiru wearily smiled, still not used to the whole ordeal of even having an 'Ultimate' title. "I'm the Ultimate Photograph—"
"Uh, hellloOooOoOoooOOooooooo?! Where's your energy?! You're super low tension right now!" Ibuki interrupted, peeking at Mahiru with a hand over her eyes to further zoom in on her. "Give it once more, this time, with girl power!!"
"Aha... I'm Mahiru Koizumi, the Ultimate Photographer!"
"Perfect! Perfectly fine, just like this totally 'super' supermarket! Check it out. There's a little bit of everything here! It makes Ibuki's heart go bump-ba-dump when thinking of all the possibilities of hunger-related schemes!"
"So... you're 'Ibuki'?" Mahiru asked, deflating the hyper girl's rant as she came crashing back down from her energetic hyper fixation on the supermarket.
"Ohhhh, you're totes right! Introductions are go-go hour!" Ibuki nodded, clapping her hands along to her words as she chanted, "Give me an 'I', give me a 'buki', give me a 'Mio', give me a 'da'! Put that togeeether, what do ya get? Ibuki Mioda!!! That's me in a nutshell, the Ultimate Musician in the flesh!"
"Oh... actually, I think I might have heard of you!" Mahiru gasped in recognition. "Weren't you in Black Cherry? Some of my friends talked about your music quite a bit."
"Oh, for reals?! What'd they say?" Ibuki gushed, leaning in closer to keep Mahiru talking.
"I-I don't remember, sorry... I wish I could give you actual criticism, but I haven't listened to any of it personally." Mahiru shrugged.
"N'aww, it's fine. But yeah, Ibuki was totally in that band! Tho, she left a year ago to go solo! The Light Music Club scene was stoke while it lasted, but Ibuki gets bored doing the same thing over and over, that's why she had to jump ship to a whole new genre! Goodbye pop, hello heavy metal!"
"You left the band for an entirely new genre? Wasn't that a little hard? I'm pretty sure my friends said that you were the songwriter too, weren't you?" Mahiru blinked in confusion, but Ibuki only responded in kind.
"Yeah, but you can only get so much out of amazing hits like 'My Love is a Stapler' or 'Rice is a Side Dish'! You gotta branch out and find your true passions, or you wither away at your peak!" Ibuki answered confidently, putting her arms up in a big X. "And Ibuki has no plans on washing out! I may be a rad music lover on an island, but my name's not Charlie just yet! If a baby named Turniphead shows up, we're probably in big trouble."
"Come on now, you've totally been hogging the spotlight for more than your years." The Kimono wearer sulked as she quite literally shoved Ibuki aside, striding up to Mahiru with a smug, shit-eating grin. "Hello! You don't look like a loser. That's a big compliment from yours truly. I'm Hiyoko Saionji!"
"What Hiyoko-chan forgot to include is her bombastic talent. This here's the Ultimate Traditional Dancer!" Ibuki clarified, hyping up the shorter girl who gave a traditional curtsy as the other girl discussed her.
"It's nice to meet you, Hiyoko." Mahiru smiled.
"Yaaay!! Mahiru's a normal one, for sure!" Hiyoko cheered, catching the photographer off-guard as she leapt forward and snagged hold of her arm like a child. "Hey, you'll take care of me, won't you? That dumb rabbit put in some dumb rules for this store!"
"W-What sort of rules?" Mahiru asked, trying to gently get her own arm back.
"We have to pay for stuff at the counter, but there's not even anyone there to take the money! That's why that dope bonked her dumb nose into the shutter earlier." Hiyoko sulked, giving Ibuki a nasty side-eye.
"Pfthaha! I so did!" Ibuki nodded happily, skipping over the pile of dropped goods as she dashed towards the mousey girl with a squeal.
"Will you buy me some gummies, Mahiru?" Hiyoko pleaded, looking up at Mahiru with big, wet eyes.
"Uh... okay. Sure." Mahiru shrugged. She was still unable to tell if the girl holding her hand tight was a child or just short. Regardless, she took the girl up to the counter, waving her handbook over the scanner to reluctantly get Hiyoko the lollies she was after. Thankfully, her grasp left her hand as Hiyoko clutched the bag of gummy bears tight, happily chomping on them a handful at a time.
"Yayyy!! Thanks, Mahiru!" Hiyoko called out, already stuffing her face. She was a weird one, to be sure. With the way she talked to Ibuki earlier compared to the way she talked to Mahiru herself, she was hard to get a good read on. Regardless, with her gummies paid for, Hiyoko left the market. With a gentle sigh, Mahiru turned to face the last remaining girl she hadn't talked to yet, noticing that she had been apparently sweating bullets.
"Go on, go on! I keep telling you it'll be not just fine but also amazing! Maybe something will even blossom!" Ibuki stage-whispered, still easily audible to Mahiru from across the market.
"B-But... Oh, no... what if she hates me?" the mousey girl whispered back, keeping her feet firmly planted as Ibuki pushed her from behind, scraping against the floor as she was slowly shoved Mahiru's way.
"She won't! Just go for it! I'll totes be here the whole time!" Ibuki clarified, giving the girl one last push until she rocketed forward towards Mahiru... but overshot the mark and ended up falling flat on her face, causing her legs to scorpion behind her up into the air, even going as far as launching her shoe across the aisle.
"W-Waaah!! I fell down... i-it's over... the introduction already faaaaailed!!" The girl, now on the floor, cried as Ibuki ran for the shoe. Rolling her eyes at the scene, Mahiru approached the girl on the floor and quickly helped her up, much to her shock. "O-Oh, my... t-thank you! Thank you so very much!"
"It's okay. Are you alright, honey?" Mahiru asked, helping the mousey girl clean herself up as Ibuki returned with her shoe.
"Y-Yes!" She nodded so hard it nearly turned into a ninety-degree bow. "Ah, uhhhh, um... Um...you know..."
"Do you want to introduce yourself?" Mahiru cut between the mumbles, shocking the girl before her.
"Ah! Y-Yes, yes, that's it! I uh... M-My name is Mikan Tsumiki... uh... from the bottom of my heart, I hope that we can get along!" Mikan bowed once again, squeaking in surprise as Ibuki rounded the corner in a flash, offering her shoe like Prince Charming to Cinderella. As Mikan tremblingly took her shoe back, Ibuki sprang up to her feet as she continued the work for her.
"Mikan here is totes super cool! Get this, she's the Ultimate Nurse! Isn't it so amazing!!" Ibuki giggled, grabbing Mikan by the shoulders to supportively shake her into action.
"A-Ah, that's right..." Mikan wearily smiled.
"The Ultimate Nurse? That is amazing! You must work really hard, don't you? I bet lots of people owe their health to you." Mahiru claimed, smiling widely at the mousey girl.
"Really...?" Mikan blinked, a blush creeping onto her face as a nervous smile came across her face. Slowly, that smile became less nervous as she began to laugh. "Hehe... hahaha! Oh... ah!! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry I laughed at you! I-I was just so happy..."
"It's alright, Miki! It's normal to be happy when making new friends!" Ibuki grinned, throwing her arm around the nurse protectively.
"'Friends'?" Mikan blushed again, a goofy grin on her face as she parroted the word. "S-Sorry, I just can't... can't remember the last time I made... f-friends... hehe. N-Not to assume you want to be my friend! I'm sorry for assuming!!"
"I-It's fine, really. We'll be friends! I'm gonna continue exploring the place. But it's really nice to meet you both." Mahiru nodded with a smile. She was delighted to meet Mikan, but she couldn't help but feel sorry for the girl. It went without saying she was clearly nervous beyond normal anxiety. "I'll see you guys later, alright?"
"Buh-Bye Ma-hi-hi!" Ibuki waved loudly before returning to trying to convince Mikan on the wonders of shoplifting... Mahiru decided it would be better not to get involved in that.
~♥️~
By the time she'd nearly made a full circle of the island, Mahiru found herself in a gated community with a sign reading 'Hotel Mirai'. After exploring the airport, which was a disappointing bust as none of the planes there were real, merely for decoration, and the Rocket Punch Market, which was as hectically laid out as could be, the hotel was much calmer in comparison. The sounds of seagulls crying up above, the soft waves crashing into the beach not that far away... were it not for the sudden awakening, it wouldn't have been that bad. Despite that, she couldn't wait for the joke of a school trip she'd been forced on to be over.
Cottages lined the entrance to the hotel, with two groups of eight on either side of her, split by gender it looked like. Mahiru found herself unsure whether to scowl or smile at the fact that there were little pixel art doodles of their faces on the mailboxes instead of a nameplate to designate whose cabin was whose. Finding her own, Mahiru frowned slightly at the fact that hers was one of the furthest down. Shrugging it off, she continued onward over towards a large pool area, only coming to a halt mid-stride as a flash of white and brown soared past her like a bullet, nearly blowing her away.
With a loud crash and a boom, the girl she'd seen climbing the boat earlier had flown past her, aiming straight towards the loud, burly boy. Arched into a kick, she had aimed straight for his chest, only for her foot to land right in the palm of his hand. With a hearty laugh, he tossed her backward, causing her to not only fumble mid-air but also fall straight into the pool water with a large splash.
"Ahahahaha! It was a good try, but your strike was too predictable! I think you'd better learn of your own weaknesses before you tackle an opponent bigger than yourself!!" The burly man laughed, slapping his knee as the girl growled under her breath, resurfacing from the water.
"A-Are you okay?!" Mahiru gasped, racing to the edge of the pool to help her out.
"Ha! Cheers, Tomato-head." The brunette giggled, shaking the water off of herself like a dog upon exiting the pool. "Tch, look at this big shot, so smug and proud of himself. I'll get you next time for sure, old man!!"
"I look forward to it!" The muscular boy laughed.
"W-What was that?! Why are you two fighting?!" Mahiru interrupted their laughter, still in shock.
"We weren't fighting, we were TRAINING!" The man countered, clenching his fists tight to his core as he yelled. "Giving your athlete a challenge is an excellent way to see how far along they are in their skillset! But in her current state, Akane can't even beat a mere manager!!!"
"Hey, I had you on the ropes, and you know it, bud!" The one, apparently called Akane, mocked as she rubbed her hand along her lower lip.
"In your dreams. You'd better devote yourself more to your actual training before you dare face me again!!" The louder of the two chuckled uproariously.
"T-Training... right, I see." Mahiru nodded, still calming down after having both Akane fly past her and be covered in her second-hand pool water. "I mean... why are you training here in the middle of the courtyard?!"
"Hehe! Sorry, that's my bad. This dude was givin' me the look from the get-go, and I finally caught him alone." Akane nodded with a toothy grin, punching her own hand to catch it. "The moment our eyes met, I knew I'd have to show him what's what!"
"She means to say that she gave me a single glare before going for a strike!" The boy scoffed, folding his arms disapprovingly. "I may be a mere team manager, but I was able to hold my own... still, you should ask first, Akane!!"
"Psht, whatever." Akane rolled her eyes before glancing over at the girl she'd gotten soaking wet. "So... what's your deal? We ain't talked yet, have we?"
"We haven't. I'm Mahiru Koizumi. I'm the Ultimate Photographer!"
"Haha! A boisterous spirit exists behind those words! But I bet you can do BETTER THAN THAT!" The boy applauded, puffing out his chest with a large shout. "I AM NEKOMARU NIDAI! THE ULTIMATE TEAM MANAGER!!"
"Jeez!! I can hear you from here, you know?! No need to scream at the top of your lungs!" Mahiru chided.
"That's an improvement, but you can DO BETTER!! LET YOUR VOICE RISE FROM DOWN IN YOUR STOMACH, AND SAY IT WITH PRIDE!! There's no better way to get the body pumping than a GOOD ATTITUDE TO YOUR ROAR!! NOW, MAHIRU, LET ME HEAR IT!!"
"I SAID I CAN HEAR YOU FROM HERE!!" Mahiru shouted back. Either through stunning him with her yell or owning up to his challenge, he cackled with a thumbs up.
"GAHAHAHAA!! Good, good!! I knew you'd have an impressive voice!" Nekomaru cackled.
"My ears are still ringing, you know!!" Mahiru scoffed. Even after scolding him, he didn't show a single sign of changing his ways. "Right... So, you're a team manager, huh? I see... that makes sense. What about you, Akane?" Mahiru asked, focusing her attention on the brunette.
"Who, me? I'm Akane Owari. Nice to meetcha." Akane grinned, snatching one of Mahiru's hands into a firm handshake, almost to the point she hurt her hand.
"Considering you're... 'sparring' with the Ultimate Team Manager... are you the Ultimate MMA Fighter or something?" Mahiru asked, only for Akane to shake her head.
"Nah, nothin' like that. They call me the Ultimate Gymnast... I dunno what they really mean by that, though." Akane shrugged. "A couple flips here, cool jumps there, and boom, Hope's Peak sent me a letter askin' me to come to this joint. It is what it is."
"I see... that's cool." Mahiru smiled, watching Akane roll her shoulder before the brunette turned to take off.
"Yeah, yeah. This dude's not gonna let me fight 'em again until I show my stuff off, so I better go get 'training' or whatever. That ranch looked pretty deserted, so I guess I'll go there... See ya around, Hiru." Akane shrugged, already scampering away.
"That one's pretty stubborn. Don't you worry, though!! As a team manager, I'll support her athletic career well!! Or else my name isn't NEKOMARU NIDAI!!" Nekomaru shouted, eliciting Mahiru to cover her ears.
"Yeah, yeah. I get it." She scoffed between clenched teeth. "Nice to meet you, too."
Walking away from Nekomaru, Mahiru let her ears continue to ring as she walked along the poolside. She was still nursing her aching ears when she almost quite literally ran into another person she'd seen on the boat. Wearing a pinstripe suit and fedora, she couldn't make out much of their appearance other than being slightly shorter than herself. She opened her mouth to apologise. However, before she could speak, they did first.
"Tch, watch where you're running, ya freckled bitch!" They spat, tilting their hat to block out their face further, just barely letting Mahiru see their eyes. With the baby-face-esque rosy cheeks and the voice sounding like a pre-teen attempting to sound tough, it was hard to tell if they were male or female at first. However, Mahiru was too caught off guard by the name-calling to even comprehend it.
" What did you just call me?!" Mahiru scowled.
"You heard me, bitch!" They scoffed, clenching a fist in Mahiru's direction. "I called you a bitch. What're you gonna do about it? Gonna tattle on me? Just try it. I'll kill you."
"Gah... y-you... What the hell?! We just met, and you're already some horrible snob! You've got a lot of attitude for someone with a dumb baby face!" Mahiru shouted back.
"Tch, shows what you know." They grumbled under their breath.
"Hey! If you're done with your tantrum, just give me your name, and I'll leave, alright?!" Mahiru sneered, already more than done with talking to them.
"Whatever. Name's... Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu." Fuyuhiko scoffed.
"'Kuzuryu'... wait, are you—" Mahiru began to ask, only for him to interrupt her.
"Heh, you've totally heard of us. The chivalrous organisation with over 30,000 members? It's no doubt I'd be called the Ultimate Yakuza." Fuyuhiko smirked, but there was an underlying weirdness to the way he talked about it.
"Right..." Mahiru cringed, remembering a certain girl from her photography club in an instant. ' He talks just like her, too. ' "I'm—"
"Don't give a fuck what your name is. Already know it." Fuyuhiko rolled his eyes, flashing his handbook at her. "Names and faces are all listed here. Give it a read if you really wanna know more, dumbass."
"Right..." Mahiru sighed yet again, already making the effort to walk off. If she'd spent another minute talking to him, she'd probably blow a gasket. Trying to distance herself as much as possible, she strode right into the hotel.
~♥️~
Walking into the hotel's lobby, Mahiru found herself nearly walking straight into someone yet again. A silver-haired girl she recalled seeing on the boat was waiting right by the lobby doors, peering out the window.
"Oh! Sorry, I didn't see you there." Mahiru apologised. The girl didn't speak for a moment, instead sizing Mahiru up with a quick glance. After about a minute, the silver-haired girl nodded with a gentle hum.
"It is... forgiven." Was all that came out of her mouth as she adjusted her glasses.
"Uh... could we... introduce ourselves?"
"Introductions, hmm? ...very well." The silver-haired girl obliged but did not say anything further.
"Well... I'm Mahiru Koizumi. Nice to meet you."
"My name is Peko Pekoyama. It is also nice to meet you." Peko bowed with dignity.
"Alright, Peko... do you mind if I ask what you're doing?" Mahiru asked.
"Well..." Peko began to formulate her sentence whilst Mahiru followed the line of sight from the window, landing right on Fuyuhiko.
"You're watching that guy, right? Fuyuhiko?"
"...Fuyuhiko?" Peko blinked in confusion for a moment, looking back at the boy outside for a moment uncomfortably. "So that is... his name. He refused to share any details about himself earlier. He seemed... like a troublemaker, perhaps. So, I thought it best to keep a close eye on him. Were anything to go awry, I would put a quick stop to it."
"I see..." Mahiru hummed.
"It is most fun... almost like a stakeout! I feel like I am a character living within a Japanese crime drama!!" A new voice excitedly claimed, causing Mahiru to nearly leap out of her skin to turn and face the new person. A blonde girl in an almost regal dress was hiding behind a potted plant, looking out the opposite side's window.
"Ah! I... also didn't see you there..." Mahiru sighed, still calming down from being startled.
"Oh, my! I am terribly sorry. Peko here most gracefully allowed me to take part in her dutiful watch, so I told her I would do my very best to not be seen! I suppose my amazing stealth was a little too powerful. Truly, it is my bad." The blonde bowed gracefully. "My name is Sonia Nevermind, it is lovely to meet you. I may cause trouble over here and over there. However, I do ask that we get along! Your name is 'Koizumi-san', correct?"
"There's no need for formalities. I'm Mahiru Koizumi, the Ultimate Photographer." Mahiru nodded.
"Ah, I see! I am terribly sorry, I was under the understanding that it was appropriate to refer to you as your family name upon meeting... Oh! I am the Ultimate Princess... but, please. Do not treat me as royalty! I would much rather you treat me like a normal classmate if it is not too much to ask." Sonia pleaded, touching the tips of her fingers together. At first, Mahiru was too stunned to speak. A literal princess?
"Ah... I-I see. Well, if that's your wish, then I'll do my best!" Mahiru smiled, much to Sonia's joy. "If you don't mind me asking, though... what are you the princess of?"
"I come from the kingdom of Novoselic. You may not have heard of it, but it is a small European monarchy in Utero. I do say it is a most glorious place, and that is not my bias as future queen speaking!" Sonia laughed, clapping her hands together with a bright smile.
"If we are discussing talents... then I go by the Ultimate Swordswoman," Peko added.
"Oh, so is that what you're carrying? A sword?" Mahiru guessed, pointing to the large case strapped to Peko's back.
"It is a practice sword for Kendo, made out of bamboo. But yes, you are correct." Peko nodded, crossing her arms triumphantly. "Albeit a blunt weapon, it is still one that can be dangerous if mishandled... although, it can be dangerous when handled correctly, too."
"Aaah!! Isn't she so 'rad'!" Sonia squealed, almost to the point it looked like stars were sparkling in her eyes. "She is just like a real Japanese Ninja!! Or perhaps a glorious samurai!"
"I am neither..." Peko's lips turned into a wide, thin line.
"Right... have either of you two seen what's upstairs?" Mahiru asked.
"Ah, it is a restaurant. I assume our meals shall be taken care of post-haste. I saw the wonderful chef headed there earlier, so I imagine he shall be 'testing the waters'." Sonia clarified.
"I guess I'll go introduce myself to him. It was nice meeting you both." Mahiru waved as she ascended the stairs to the restaurant. She was too stunned by the fact that Sonia was a literal princess for it to register until she was already leaving... but why was everyone so casual about using given names over family names? It hadn't even clicked as weird until that very moment. Shaking that thought away, Mahiru continued to climb the stairs to the restaurant.
~♥️~
"...but for a big boy like yourself? I'd love to whip up a whole kaiseki... though it seems to me omakase is more your style, I dig?" A boy's voice could be heard as Mahiru ascended the steps.
"Perhaps you could be correct." A different voice replied, belonging to that of the large, pompous boy from the boat.
"I could tell! Never doubt the refined culinary observational skills of the Ultimate Chef!" The shorter of the two winked, giggling inappropriately. Upon noticing Mahiru, he perked up and dropped everything he was doing. "Oh, my my! What do we have here? A lovely little thing like you walkin' into my kitchen... how nice to meet ya, Miss...?"
"Uh... I'm Mahiru Koizumi."
"Miss Mahiru, is it? Ah, now that's a lovely name, sugar. How nice that we can finally meet. My name is Teruteru Hanamura, but you can call me anytime~" Teruteru winked. "I'm known in the govy as the Ultimate Cook, but I'd love for you to know me as the Ultimate Chef. It's got that big-city flavour to it, ya dig?"
"...uh huh." Mahiru skeeved slightly, shaking his hand hesitantly. He hadn't said anything all that bad, but she got a sort of... aura , that he was probably gross.
"You... You're the Ultimate Photographer, correct?" The larger boy asked, looking Mahiru up and down with a slight frown on his face.
"Oh, come on now, Byakuya dear! You know better than to talk to a lady like that!" Teruteru scolded, giving Byakuya a sharp elbow to the knee. "Come now, sugar. Why don't you go first and show him how it's done?"
"...I just did." Mahiru cocked an eyebrow in disbelief. "I'm Mahiru Koizumi."
"I'm Byakuya Togami." He replied with as little enthusiasm as possible. "We're done now, correct? Go away."
"...No." Mahiru challenged, crossing her arms defiantly.
"Hey, now, hey, now! As much as I'd love to bet on which of you two win the tussle off, I don't want a burly beat down in my kitchen. Play nice now, ya hear?" Teruteru snickered. "Here, how about you two delights try a whiff of what I've got cookin' to serve your heart!"
"You made this?" Mahiru asked, instantly distracted by a pleasant smell as Teruteru whipped out a saucepan off of a burner in the kitchen, bringing it out onto a heat-proof mat on the counter.
"You're damn right I did! Your panties won't be the only thing that drops once you get a taste!" Teruteru smirked, instantly ruining the magic his food brought to the table.
"What did you just say to me?!" Mahiru scoffed. "Are you serious, you pervert?!"
"H-Hey now, I may be a perve, but I'm the type everyone loves, ya dig?" He giggled, only upsetting her further.
"Ugh... whatever. You!" Mahiru scoffed, turning her attention back to Byakuya. "Just tell me your Ultimate already."
"My Ultimate...? That's all you truly care for, hmm? A reflection of your character, I suppose." Byakuya sighed, dropping his arms to glare at her. "I am the Ultimate Affluent Progeny. The epitome of exceptional. I don't have time for you, so if we're done here, I suggest you leave."
"Jeez. So you're just some rich kid, huh? I guess that explains the attitude! You must think you're sooooo much better than the rest of us, huh? Well, guess what! I ain't havin' any of that! Don't let your ego go to your head cuz we're all equal here!" Mahiru chided, hoping to deflate him at least a little.
"Are you all bite and no bark? Why should I listen to someone like you?" Byakuya scoffed, rolling his eyes.
"If you're really some prestigious guy who 'doesn't have time for me', then what the hell are you doin' that's so important?! It looks to me like you're sitting on your butt waiting for food!" Mahiru scornfully spat.
"If the rabbit has its way, we are going to be here for quite some time... in the essence of our safety, checking the food situation is crucial for survival. Do not trivialise what is important based on prejudices." Byakuya sighed, shaking his head in disbelief. "Besides, I've already made a lap of the island by now... with the way things are, the boat we arrived on is the only possible method of departure. As long as that rabbit is in control of it, we must take stock of what we do have. Most of the idiots walking around are too busy sightseeing. So, how about you turn some of your misguided anger to them instead? It'd be in both of our best interests for you to bother someone else."
"Tch... You gotta lot of nerve speakin' that way to somebody. It's gonna take a lot to raise my opinion of you, ya know!" Mahiru warned, but Byakuya merely smirked in her face.
"Heh... and is that an official challenge?" He asked, adjusting his glasses slightly. "Very well. I find your efforts admirable, even if it's coming from a turncoat."
"Whatever." Mahiru scoffed, turning on her heel to exit through the side staircase straight down to the pool area. A perverted weirdo and a hubris-filled jerk. She was more than done with those two. Other than the boy currently passed out on the ship, that had been everybody that she remembered seeing on the boat. With that said, she decided to hang out by the pool area for a moment. Maybe she'd take some photos to calm herself down?
Prologue: No Man Is an Island
Daily Life