Now to talk to those 5 people over there. Someone kill me now please.
Aoi: - Heya! I'm Aoi Asahina! But my friends just call me Hina. 'Sup?
[Ultimate Swimming Pro - Aoi Asahina]
Aoi Asahina, she's been breaking records in every competition she's been in since elementary school. She's even been chosen as an upcoming Olympic cadet. She is, without a doubt, the Ultimate Swimming Pro. The combination of her ability, appearance, and, um... proportions has been widely discussed online.
Aoi - So uh... what was your name again? Sorry, totally forgot!
Malachi - Malachi Weiss.
Aoi - Oh yeah, I knew it was something like that!
Malachi - No, not "something" like that. It *is* that.
Aoi - Sure, sure, got it! Here, I'll hammer it into my brain right now!
Aoi - Malachi... Weiss... Malachi... Weiss...
She just kept repeating my name and moving her finger across her palm like she was writing something...
Malachi - What are you doing?
Aoi - You don't know? If you wanna remember someone's name, you gotta write it on your hand three times!
Malachi - I've never heard of that before in my life.
Aoi - Anyway, glad to meet ya!
Malachi - S-Sure, same here.
Well, she's totally easygoing and bursting with energy. Not to mention a bit of an idiot.
??? - Hello, nice to meet you. I'm Chihiro Fujisaki...
[Ultimate Programmer - Chihiro Fujisaki]
Chihiro -Sorry, I get kinda embarrassed whenever I introduce myself like this. Anyway, I hope we can get along.
Malachi - Same here. Nice to meet you.
Chihiro - ...Huh Maybe it's just my imagination, but... have we met before?
Malachi - Um, I don't think so. We just met for the first time. Which is why I said "nice to meet you".
Chihiro - Oh, yeah. Good point. Sorry...
Malachi - Y-You don't have to apologies for that.
Chihiro - Oh, yeah...
Chihiro Fujisaki is known for all the cutting-edge programs she's created. She's the Ultimate Programmer. She's also got that timid little bunny type thing going, which has endeared her to her legion of fans.
Chihiro - Hey, so listen, I-I'm really sorry.
Malachi - Huh? What are you apologizing for now?
Chihiro - Well, just cuz... you seem upset. You must be mad at me, right?
Malachi - No, not at all! I was just lost in thought about something.
Chihiro - Huh? Lost in thought?
Malachi - Yeah! It had nothing to do with me being upset or anything.
Chihiro - Oh, that's good. I was afraid maybe you didn't like me. Hehe... I'm glad!
Malachi - ...
I'm starting to understand why her fans are so into her...
??? - ...
Malachi - ...
??? - ...
MN - Um... Can I ask you your name?
??? - ...
??? - My name is... Kyoto Kirigiri.
[Ultimate ??? - Kyoko Kirigiri]
Kyoko - ...
She's pretty tight-lipped, huh? Oh, but you know, Her name didn't show up anywhere in that Hope's Peak Academy thread. And I did see that there were students like me. Ones who didn't have any presence outside of there own specific area. Could this girl be one of them?
Malachi - Um, so... what are you doing at this school?
Kyoko - What's that supposed to mean?
Malachi - No, I just meant... Getting invited here means you're some kind of "ultimate" something, right? So what ultimate something are you?
Kyoko - ...
Kyoko - Why should I tell you?
Malachi - Huh...? Well I guess you don't have to tell me.
Kyoko - No, I *don't* have to tell you. So I'm not going to.
Nothing about her turned up online, so I was thinking maybe she got picked by chance like me, but...
Kyoko - ...
Her face is like an iron mask. If she doesn't want to tell me anything, no point in asking.
??? - Hiii! I'm Junko Enoshima. Charmed, I'm sure!
[Ultimate Fashionista - Junko Enoshima]
Anybody would recognise this one...
She's got more charm and presence than any high school girl in the country. She's the Ultimate Fashionista. I've seen her on tons of magazine covers, but...
Malachi - I feel like that doesn't quite match up to reality.
Junko - Huh...?
Junko - Oh, are you talking about my cover photos and junk?
Junko - Ahaha, well of course! Those are totally photoshopped.
Malachi - Photoshopped...?
Junko - Yeah, you know - edited to hell and back. With like, computers and junk?
Malachi - ...
Malachi - I don't know how you thought this was a good idea. I'm a puppeteer, putting on a show is my whole thing.
Junko - You got me huh. Fine I guess i will have to tell them. Just keep it quiet for now yeah.
Malachi - I won't tell anyone. Just know secrets never last forever. I would tell them before it is to late.
??? - Name's Mondo Owada. Nice to fuckin' meetcha.
[Ultimate Biker Gang Leader - Mondo Owada]
Mondo Owada, huh? Which means he's the current leader of the largest biker gang in Japan. He's earned respect, even awe, from every gang in the country. He's the Ultimate Biker Gang Leader
Malachi - ...
Malachi - Umm...Nice to meet you, too...
Mondo - Hell yeah!!
I'd better be careful around him. One wrong word and I could wake up at the bottom of the sea...
??? - I am Sakura Ogami.
[Ultimate Martial Artist - Sakura Ogami]
Oh jeez, I almost asked her if she was a guy. The day I say something like that out loud is the day I get turned into a human meatball... But now I remember. She competed in a martial arts tournament in America and won, despite being a girl. She's the Ultimate Martial Artist. She's fought in over 400 matches, and never lost a single one. That thread also said a bit more about her. Some call her Ogre; some even think she's the closest known relative to the primates - the famed missing link.
"Any incoming Hope's Peak students who are reading this, let me warn you right now. If you value your life, avoid her at all costs."
Standing in front of her now, I don't think they were exaggerating about that...
Sakura - Hey, you.
Malachi - Huh? Y-Yes!?
I snapped back to attention without even realizing it. Then she started to poke and prod at my body...
Malachi - Um... what are you...?
Sakura - Muscular quality and quantity is right around that of an extremely ordinary high school student. Hmph, what a shame. You're not at all fit to act as my training partner.
I'm not sure that's such a shame for me...
??? - Name's Byakuya Togami
[Ultimate Affluent Progeny - Byakuya Togami]
Malachi - Hi, uh... nice to meet you.
Byakuya - ...
That's the most half-assed introduction I've ever heard... But there isn't really anything I can do about it. Even among the ultimate students, this one is special. Byakuya Togami... He's the heir apparent of his family's massive financial conglomerate. He's already started managing business operations, and his own personal assets are, well, vast. His title of Ultimate Affluent Progeny is completely accurate. He's the definition of "exceptional". That's everything I learned about him from that Hope's Peak Academy thread online.
Byakuya - We're done with introductions, right? How much longer are you going to stand there? Go away. I'm sick of looking at you.
His aura says to me, "You and I will never stand on the same level". Like a king in training...
???- I'm Yasuhiro Hagakure - Hiro for short! Take it easy, yeah? I know I will!
[Ultimate Clairvoyant - Yasuhiro Hagakure]
Yasuhiro Hagakure, known as "Supernova" in the psychic community. The trend-setting Ultimate Clairvoyant. Honestly, I don't really get all that fortune-telling stuff. It's pretty much beyond me.
Malachi (To himself) - Still, I can't help wondering if there's any truth to it.
Yasuhiro - Ahh... Okay, I give up.
Malachi - Huh? What happened?
Yasuhiro - I saw it. I looked right at it... Seriously, I totally saw it!
MN - ...Saw what?
Yasuhiro - A guardian angel with a crazy perm chasing after Bigfoot running off with a skyfish in its mouth. And that guardian angel... is YOUR guardian angel! Nah, I'm just kiddin'. But hey, we should grab some brewskis sometime and get real deep into Lemuria and its civilisation.
Malachi - What? We're not allowed to drink! We're in high school!
Yasuhiro - Oh, I'm actually 21. I've been held back a few times, see, and... well, it's a long story.
A few times...? Yeah, I bet that *is* a long story.
??? - I do not think we have been introduced. I am Celestia Ludenberg.
[Ultimate Gambler - Celestia Ludenberg]
Malachi - Celestia... Luden... huh?
Celeste - Ludenberg. It is my name. But if you don't mind, I would prefer for you to call me Celeste.
Malachi - Um... you *are* Japanese, right?
Celeste- Of course. Why do you ask?
Malachi - If you don't mind... could you tell me your real name?
Celeste - Heh-heh. I don't know what you are talking about. Celestia Ludenberg *is* my real name. But as I mentioned, I would much rather you call me Celeste.
She's polite, but pretty forceful at the same time. I don't think she wants to say any more about it. I guess the rumours in that thread were right about her...
The self-styled "Celestia Ludenberg", she's the Ultimate Gambler who's never lost a bet. Other than her obvious love of gothic lolita clothes, everything about her is wrapped in a veil of lies. They say she entered and won and won an underground gambling tournament, earning the title "Queen of Liars". She totally cleaned out the other players, taking their life savings and laughing as she did it.
Celeste - I look forward to getting to know you better. Heh-heh-heh...
That smile is beyond deceptive. I'd better watch myself around her...
And with that, all the introductions are done. Hmm... Even though they're all "ultimate", they each have their own individual sort of... um... something.
Byakuya - Okay, time to get down to business. This is no time to stand around making friends like a bunch of dull-eyed baboons.
Malachi - Oh, that's true. I think someone said something about a bigger problem or something? What was that about?
Sayaka - Well, you see... Makoto, you said a bunch of stuff happened and then you were "just asleep", right? Well... the same is true for all of us.
Malachi - What? Seriously!?
Leon- Just after each of us got to the main hall, we lost consciousness. And when we came to, we were somewhere here in the school! That's what happened to you, right?
Malachi - B-But that's just... weird! That every one of us would get knocked out like that...
Mondo - Exactly! That's why we're all freakin' out!
Kiyotaka - And that's not the only thing. You saw where all the windows in the classes and hallways were, right? But instead of normal glass windows, it was a bunch of big metal plates! What's that about!?
Junko - Plus, all my stuff's missing! Even my cellphone...
Chihiro - Yeah, you're right. I haven't seen my PDA anywhere, either...
{PDA is Personal Digital/Data Assistant}
Kiyotaka - And then there's the main hall here. The front exit is completely blocked by some giant metal hatch. But there wasn't anything like that when I first got here...! What the heck!? What's it doing here!?
Junko - Maybe we got caught up in some kinda, like, you know... crime or something?
Leon - What, like... a kidnapping? You think maybe someone grabbed us and hauled us off and we're not actually at school?
Yasuhiro - Come on, don't think like that. Cheer up! I bet this is all just part of the school's orientation procedure. Yeah, I'm sure that's it! So I'm just gonna take it easy for a little bit.
Chihiro - Oh... So you think they wanted to do something to surprise us?
Leon - Huh. Well if that's all it is, it's nap time for me. I was up way too late last night, so I could use a little shuteye.
I could feel everyone's tension evaporating... But then... it began.
*Ding dong, bing bong*
??? - Ahem! Ahem! Testing, testing! Mike check, one two! This is a test of the school broadcast system! Am I on? Can everyone hear me? Okay, well then...!
The voice seemed totally out of place. It was so playful, so completely unconcerned... I couldn't help but feel a deep, unnerving dread at the sound of it. It was like hearing someone laugh at the scene of an accident.
??? - Ahh, to all incoming students! I would like to begin the entrance ceremony at... right now! Please make your way to the gymnasium at your earliest convenience. ... That's all. I'll be waiting!
Junko - ...
Junko - What. The. Hell was that just now?
Byakuya - Well then, if you'll excuse me...
Junko - H-Hey! What, you're gonna take off just like that!?
Yasuhiro - Ohh yeah, now I get it! This whole thing was just to get us all pumped for the entrance ceremony! Man, thank god it was all a joke. I'd be totally freaked if this was real! Alright, guess I'll head out, too. Wonder what they got planned for us next...
Leon - Damn, I was totally looking forward to that nap, too. Why'd they have to go and kill the mood?
Chihiro - W-Wait for me! I wanna go with you!
Celeste - That is that, then. I will see you all there.
Toko - N-Not that anyone cares, but I-I'm gonna go, too...
Everyone took off for the gym, but I was frozen where I stood. That uneasy feeling I'd had before... I couldn't get it out of my mind. And it looked like I wasn't the only one...
Sayaka - This... this doesn't seem right.
Junko - Yeah, that announcement was totally weird.
Kyoko - Maybe, but just staying put doesn't mean we'll be safe. Besides, aren't you guys just a little bit curious to find out what's going on around here?
Sakura - If we do not move forward, we learn nothing. The only choice is to push ahead.
I... I guess she's right. But still... I'm kinda - no, really nervous. We don't have a choice. We have to go.
Malachi - They said to go to the gym, right?
(Save)
[Prologue]
[School Life: Checkpoint]