Well, here it is. To those of you who followed this story from the beginning, I cannot apologize enough. After I posted the prologue, I didn't know if I wanted to continue this. Recently I decided I did, so here we are, 4 months later. From now on, I'll be updating on average once a week, maybe two if something comes up. But I do plan to get serious about this story. So, without further ado, here is Part 1 of the Opening Ceremony!

April 5th, 2016

9:15 AM

Hope's Peak Academy, Classroom 77-B

A bubbly woman with orange hair hummed as she skipped down the hallway. Her attire consisted of a long blue dress, with a white apron over it. The woman is Chisa Yukizome, the homeroom teacher of Class 77-B.

She beamed a bright smile as she opened the door to the classroom.

"Good morning, my rotten oranges!"

"Good morning, Ms. Yukizome!" her class enthusiastically answered back.

Chisa walked into the classroom, eyeing her students affectionately. Kyosuke Munakata, her former classmate and friend, had sent both her and Juzo Sakakura to investigate the finances of the Academy. Even though her status as a teacher was just a cover, she had grown to genuinely care for her students.

"Alright class, today is the opening ceremony for the new students, which means you all are now seniors! Isn't that exciting?" Chisa sang, opening her itinerary for the day.

"Indeed! We are now, what is the saying, 'The big men on campus!'" Answered Sonia Nevermind, the blonde haired princess.

"You kinda butchered that saying, Sonia. But it's close enough I guess..." Answered a redheaded Mahiru Koizumi, who was fiddling with her camera

"Well I hope you all are enthusiastic, because I have volunteered us to be the ones who welcome and show around our new incoming students!" Chisa stated, doing her best to inspire enthusiasm into her students.

"Really? You volunteered US? Are you sure you thought this through teach?" Asked a boy with shaved blonde hair and an impeccable suit.

"I sure did Fuyuhiko!" Chisa responded, pointing at the small blonde sternly. "And take your feet off of that desk, young man. It's rude."

"Yes ma'am" He shivered, obeying instantly.

"Anyhow, I have decided what you all be doing today. You each will have individual assignments, and I expect that you will show our two new classes how Hope's Peak students will act. Class rep, will you please read off everyone's assignments?"

A small girl with pink hair poked her head out from behind her Gamergirl Advance. "Alright." Chiaki Nanami yawned, walking up to the front of the room and taking a list from Ms. Yukizome's hand.

"Alright everyone! Here's what we're going to do!" She said, with a sudden burst of energy. "We'll first be going down to the Gymnasium at 11. The opening ceremony will be ending around that time. We'll then split up into two groups of girls, and two groups of guys, each taking each classes gender to the dormitories to get them settled in. After that, we'll pair up and get to know some of them, make them feel welcome. Then we'll head to the dining hall, where we will eat dinner with the new students. Hmmm, that's all... I think. Any questions?" The pink haired gamer finished.

"Yeah, I have one. How come we never got anything like this?" Pouted Hiyoko Saionji, a small girl in a pink kimono. "They just handed us our uniforms and threw us to the wolves. Why the change?"

"Because we're the change!" Chisa replied happily. "The headmaster is pleased that our class has become extremely close, and he wants to see to it that it becomes the norm around here, like it used to be!"

Chiaki nodded in response to their teacher. "She's right. Would it not be great if all the classes here were like ours? I don't know about you all, but your all like family to me." The gamer said with a smile. "So let's all get out there and show them what it's like to be a united class!"

April 5th, 2016

10:30 AM

Hope's Peak Academy, Gymnasium

"I would first like to start off by welcoming all of our new students here into Hope's Peak. May your time here be both beneficial and inspiring into your future endeavors after graduation!" Jin Kirigiri exclaimed, shooting a bright smile towards the excited yet nervous Ultimates.

"There is nothing to be nervous about, I assure all of you. Our curriculum is extremely lax, so long as you continue to cultivate your talent, and pass the semester exams, you may enjoy your time here however you please. However, beginning this year, I have decided it will be beneficial to the students here to interact and befriend their new classmates, as unfortunately it has become so lax here that we have had issues with attendance and school event participation. I do promise however that this will not inconvenience any of you in any outside activities you may have. Now, before I release all of you new students to mingle among each other, I am also proud to announce that we here at Hope's Peak have decided to implement a new experiment in regards to our teaching methods this year, we do hope you all find it interesting..."

Noticing the confused look on the gathered students faces, the Headmaster gave a wide smile "We'll explain in greater detail after you all get to know each other. Students of Class 78, please meet on the left side of the gymnasium. Class 79, please assemble on the right. Don't be shy, get to know your classmates! We'll convene again shortly for further announcements."

Makoto shuffled his feet awkwardly as he stood in the center of the gym, eyeing the other assembled students.

'Geez, they all look so imposing... where do I even start?'

"Classmate! Why are you just standing around? This is the time for introductions, so that we may better get to know each other!" A loud and stern voice behind the lucky student exclaimed.

Makoto yelped with a jump, turning around to see a neatly dressed boy with red eyes glaring at him intently.

"U-um, I'm sorry... I was just looking for where to start." The green eyed boy replied with an awkward laugh, scratching the back of his head.

The imposing red eyed boy suddenly gave a wide smile "Ah, I see! Then it is my duty to be the first of your new classmates to greet you! I am Kiyotaka Ishimaru, The Ultimate Moral Compass! I believe in bold simplicity! Let us work together on our educational crusade!"

'He certainly is... enthusiastic...' Makoto thought with a chuckle.

"Nice to meet you Taka. I'm Makoto Naegi, The Ultimate Lucky Student."

Upon hearing his introduction, a conflicted look appeared upon Taka's face. "I... I see. It is nice to meet you, Makoto..."

"Ah! Did I say something wrong?!" Makoto panicked, raising his hands in front of his face, embarrassed.

"No, not at all!" Taka exclaimed, clearly choosing his next words carefully "It's just that, you are attending here out of sheer luck, and my philosophy is that only those who work hard should be guaranteed success. However, this also presents an opportunity! I wish to prove that even the lowest of the low can achieve success if they try hard enough! So please, Makoto Naegi, prove everyone who thinks you do not deserve to be here wrong! Go above and beyond and show this Academy that anyone can be an Ultimate if they dream to be!" Taka boldly stated, a look of admiration and hope in his eyes as he looked at the green eyed Ultimate with a sense of newfound respect.

Makoto gulped, but ultimately nodded "I... I promise I'll do my best, Taka!" He said, doing his best to give the Moral Compass a look of confidence.

This seemed to satisfy Taka, as he gave Makoto a nod. "Indeed! Let us talk another time, classmate!" He exclaimed, walking off to talk with a petite girl in a green dress.

Makoto exhaled a labored breath, finally free from the red eyed ultimate's intense aura.

"Hmph, lowly peons becoming something important through hard work? What an inane idea." Sneered an intimidating voice behind Makoto.

Makoto whipped around, his eyes widening upon seeing the confident blonde boy before him.

"Y-your Byakuya Togami, heir to the Togami Corporation!" He exclaimed, gaping at the regal boy before him.

The Ultimate Affluent Prodigy shot him a cocky smirk, that was anything but friendly.

"Hmph, at least you have the basic social awareness to recognize who I am. Congratulations, you now at least have the same level of intelligence as a common housecat." He replied snarkily. "Do you even realize why you are really here? It's this Academy's way of appeasing the masses of sheeple, giving them a false sense of hope that they too, might be able to walk amongst the gods. Do not be fooled, you are nowhere near my level. Seriously, luck? What a ridiculous talent."

Makoto felt his face heat up, but before he could muster a rebuttle, another voice responded for him.

"You would be unwise to underestimate the power of luck." A femine voice with a thick European accent interjected. Makoto and Byakuya turned to see a pale girl with an elegent black dress approach, her black hair drills bouncing in tune with her steps. She raised one of her hands up to her mouth, in an attempt to suppress a false giggle.

"Excuse me?" The Togami Heir scowled, staring at the elegent girl in annoyance.

"I said, you would be unwise to discount Lady Luck." The girl repeated, turning to Makoto with a curious look. "Apologies for interrupting, but I could not help but jump into this... interesting debate. I am Celestia Ludenberg, The Ultimate Gambler."

Byakuya sighed, pushing up his glasses in annoyance "What a surprise, another unseless talent. Hope's Peak is indeed a far cry of what it once was."

Celestia furrowed her brows, observing the Heir quietly. "How surprising. I would assume someone of your standing would be able to see the value in more... unorthodox talents." The Gambler then turned to Makoto, her false smile returning "And if I heard correctly earlier, you are Makoto Naegi, this year's Ultimate Lucky Student. How interesting. Tell me, what is your game of choice? Shogi? Mahjong? Or maybe a more American game, such as Poker or Blackjack?"

The Lucky Student let out a nervous laugh. "Uh, none of those, actually. I'm not big on games. Sorry." He apologized.

Celestia let out a disappointed sigh. "Well, that matters very little. Let us play a game sometime. After all, if you really are the Ultimate Lucky Student, you won't need experience to do well, no?" She said, sliding him a wink.

"Uh, that sounds great..." The ahoge sporting boy said, doing his best to sound enthusiastic. He perked up, a sudden thought occurring to him. "And if I win, you have to tell me your real name!"

It was a split second reaction, but Makoto was able to notice the look of surprise that flashed in the Gambler's eyes, before she quickly recovered. "I don't know what you are talking about. Celestia Ludenberg is my real name." She replied calmly, yet firmly. "Well, if you will pardon me, I shall go introduce myself to more of our classmates. Makoto dear, I do hope you'll be able to entertain me someday." Celestia smiled, before wandering off.

'That girl is dangerous. I need to watch out for her...' Makoto noted duly.

Makoto then snapped back to attention, noticing that Byakuya had been observing their exchange silently. "Not bad, Naegi. Not bad at all... your skills of observation are... above average." He glared at the Luckster even more, squinting his eyes as if he was drilling a hole into his very head. "Maybe you can be of some worth... now I too shall take my leave. Do see to it that this place does not break you, after all it can be rough being surrounded by people superior to you." He said omniously, as he too walked away.

Makoto sighed, rubbing his head head softly.

"Would it really hurt to meet someone somewhat normal here?" He moaned quietly to himself, before turning to look for someone else to talk to. He then noticed a freckled black haired girl standing by herself. She had a tight, neutral expression on her face, yet it was also one of loneliness.

Makoto knew that feeling all too well.

He walked over to her, mustering a smile on his face as he approached. The freckled girl noticed, instantly stiffening as he reached her.

"Uh, hi! I'm Makoto Naegi, The Ultimate Lucky Student! Looks like we're going to be classmates!" He said cheerfully "What's your name?"

The stoic girl's face became one of surprise. "You... really want to know who I am?" She asked, bewildered.

"Well, of course I do! We're gonna be friends from here on out, right?" Makoto laughed, rubbing the back of his head subconsiously.

The girl gave a small smile "W-well, in that case, my name is..."

"Makoto? is that really you? Oh my gosh, it is!" A voice behind him squealed, interrupting the freckled girl.

Makoto turned in shock, gasping as he noticed a blue haired girl in a sailor uniform bounding towards him, a bright smile on her face.

"S-Sayaka? You remember me?" The Luckster asked, his mind scrambling to catch up with the surprise he was feeling.

The blue haired beauty giggled. "Silly boy, of course I do! Blackroot Junior High! You were in Class 4, but I was in Class 3. You remember me too?"

"Of course I do! Your the Ultimate Pop Sensation, meanwhile I was some nobody... I'm surprised you were able to recall a scrub like me." He mumbled, slightly ashamed.

'Sayaka Maizono... her smile is just like that of a doll...'

"I'm not a doll you know, I'm alive!" Sayaka smiled wide, letting loose a light giggle.

"Huh? Did I say that out loud?!" The green eyed boy panicked.

"No, of course not! It's because I'm psychic!" The Idol said seriously.

"H-huh?!" Makoto stuttered, unable to formulate a proper response.

"Kidding! I just have really good intuition!" She giggled again, flashing him a playful peace sign.

"Seriously, Maizono? Still using that same lame joke, girl? It gets old, y'know!" A bubbly female voice cut in. Upon hearing the voice, Sayaka visibly stiffened.

A strawberry blonde girl smirked as she approached, stopping next to the freckled girl, who was watching the exchange go down warily.

"Ah, Junko, It's... been awhile..." The Idol said neutrally, sliding a forced smile onto her face. "I didn't know you were going to attend."

The girl named Junko smiled, sliding a pair of glasses onto her face, as her voice mysteriously changed. "Well, you see my dear, it was a spur of the moment decision! I thought it might make things interesting, for a bored fashionista such as I!" She then slid them off, as a small mushroom popped up on top of her head... where it came from, Makoto would never be able to guess. "But, sadly, it seems everyone in our class is an idiot. Oh, the despair..."

"Right..." Sayaka trailed off, clearly wanting to exit the conversation as quickly as possible. The Idol then turned to the freckled girl, giving her a dazzling smile. "Ah, I interruped your conversation with Makoto, didn't I? I'm so sorry, I was just so happy to see a friendly face around here! What's your name?"

The stoic girl once again moved to open her mouth, only to be interruped by Junko. "Oh, this pig with lipstick? This is my worthless sister, Mukuro." Junko then frowned "Tell them your talent, stupid!"

The girl named Mukuro cleared her throat "Yes, as you wish. I am Mukuro Ikusaba, the Ultimate Soldier." The freckled girl then clammed up, offering no further info.

Junko nodded, as if satisfied with her sister's explanation. Suddenly, a golden crown appeared on her head without warning, as she turned to acknowledge the Lucky Student for the first time. "And who do we have here? Considering you are conversing with dear Maizono so casually, I assume you are someone of great standing? Or perhaps one of her hired hands? Don't leave me in suspense!" The strawberry blonde exclaimed overdramatically.

Makoto scratched the side of his head nervously "Sorry, but it's nothing near as exciting as you make it sound. Sayaka and I just happened to go to junior high together. I'm honestly surprised she even remembers me! I'm Makoto Naegi, the Ultimate Lucky Student. I hope we can be friends!" He said with a smile, shifting his gaze between the two sisters.

Junko's smile widened. "Oh? I didn't realize you socialized with the common peasants, Sayaka!"

"N-no, It's nothing like that!" The blue haired singer said defensively. "Makoto isn't just 'some peasant' to me. There's something he did back then that caught my eye, is all!"

Junko lost her crown, as her appearance and voice shifting back to normal. "Well, just don't get too attached to him, girl. After all, the Idol Industry is extremely unforgiving. It would be an absolute shame if you lost it all on some boy!" Before the stammering Idol could formulate a rebuttal, The strawberry blonde grabbed her sister's arm, dragging her off. Before they left, though, she turned back to look at Makoto. "Oh, and let's hang out sometime, alright Makoto? I bet we could become REALLY good friends!" Junko laughed suggestively.

"Sounds great, yeah!" The Luckster replied, waving at them enthusiastically as he missed the scowl that was plastered across Sayaka's face. "Oh, and I wanna hang out with you too, Mukuro! I bet you have so many cool stories to tell!" He called out to the soldier.

Makoto failed to see the surprised yet happy smile on Mukuro's face as she softly waved back, before being dragged out of sight by her sister.

Sayaka gave a soft smile when she saw Makoto's enthusiasm. "You really haven't changed a bit, have you?"

The ahoge boy turned back to her, confused. "What do you mean?"

The blue haired Idol gave a giggle. "Do you not remember? That crane? That's how you caught my attention, y'know?"

Makoto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly "It wasn't really that big a deal, I was the one who was put in charge of it..."

"But it was a big deal!" Sayaka argued. "Nobody else was willing to help that crane find it's way home but you. Your heart is bigger than your head, you try to be kind to everyone, no matter how much they don't deserve it..." She trailed off quietly, before continuing. "A-anyways, be careful around Junko. She may not look like it, but she's extremely astute, and almost impossible to deal with. I've done a few photoshoots with her before, and she's a nightmare to be around."

Makoto nodded thoughtfully. "I'll keep that in mind Sayaka, thanks. But my positivity is all I have. Besides, did you see her sister? She looked lonely. I bet Junko is like that too, I just need to reach out to them!" He declared with a smile.

The Ultimate Pop Sensation blinked for a moment, before letting out a smile of her own. "That's the Makoto I know! Well, I think I should go introduce myself to others. We should hang out sometime, once the ceremony is over with." She gave him one last wink, before walking off.

Makoto gave a sheepish nod, waving her goodbye.

'I can't believe she remembers me... Komaru is gonna flip when she finds out!' The Luckster thought to himself. 'And Mukuro... she looked so sad. I need to remember to reach out to her later...'

"Yo, dude who was talking to Maizono earlier, tell me your secrets man!"

Makoto was startled out of his thoughts by an enthusiastic male voice. He looked up to see an auburn haired male approach him, with a goatee and the look of a punk rocker.

"Oh, uh, it's nothing! We just went to junior high together, and she just happened to remember me, that's all!" He replied to the boy modestly.

"Well damn dude, you'll have to properly introduce me to her sometime! You're pretty lucky, ya know that?" The goateed boy stated jealously.

Makoto laughed. "Well, I would hope so, since that's all I have going for me. I'm Makoto Naegi, Ultimate Lucky Student. Nice to meet you."

The boy's eyes widened. "No shit? That's pretty rad. I'm Leon Kuwata, The Ultimate Baseball Star."

"Really? Baseball Star? I never would have guessed!" Makoto replied, surprised.

"Were you expecting me to have some kinda shaved head or something?" He grumbled, clearly a little dejected.

"Well, a little bit. It's just that when I've seen you in sports magazines and such, you look totally different..." The Luckster replied hesitantly.

"Aw man, seriously? I'm, like, super embarrassed right now. I thought I managed to get all those pictures destroyed!" Leon mumbled. "Hey, can I level with you for a second? To be honest with you, I don't really like baseball. Like, at all."

"Really?"

"Yeah man! My dream is to be The Ultimate Musician! That's why I've come here, so I can hit the big time!" Leon exclaimed.

"...Which is why you want me to introduce you to Sayaka." Makoto surmised.

"Well, yeah, that's a big part of it, but it also helps that she's a total babe, y'know what I'm saying?" The Baseball Star laughed, elbowing Makoto suggestively. "But for real, man, let's chat again later. See ya around!" He finished as he walked off, once again leaving Makoto alone with his thoughts.

'I've only met half of my class, and I'm already exhausted. I wonder who's next?'

Kaede smiled, looking around the gym, as her new classmates began to converse with each other. The blonde pianist first noticed a boy clothed in black, with a matching colored cap. He had it pulled over his face, as if he wished to shut out the world.

'Looks like a good place to start' Kaede decided. She moved behind the boy, tapping him on the shoulder.

"Hi! I'm Kaede Akamatsu, the Ultimate Pianist. What's your name?" She asked with enthusiasm.

"A-ah!" The boy jumped, turning around, allowing Kaede a full view of his face. He had a shy look, and long, almost girlish eyelashes.

"Sorry about that..." The boy said quietly. "I wasn't expecting anyone to approach me..." He admitted.

"Hey, it's fine! I'm nervous too, so we can get acquainted with everyone together!" Kaede exclaimed, grasping his hands firmly and giving him an encouraging smile. "So don't worry!"

The shy boy took a deep breath, gathering his courage before he spoke. "My name is Shuichi Saihara, the Ultimate Private Investigator. I don't really deserve that title though..."

"Nice to meet you, Shuichi! But, why don't you deserve your talent? Hope's Peak would not have accepted you if you didn't deserve it, right?" Kaede inquired, confused.

"It's a long story, but trust me when I say it's a mistake." Shuichi mumbled.

Kaede stared at him thoughtfully for a minute, before breaking out into a kind smile. "Well, I don't think it's a mistake, and I believe in you, so you should believe in yourself too!" The Pianist declared confidently.

Shuichi lowered his cap, doing his best to hide the blush on his face. "Thank you Kaede, I'll try..."

Kaede clapped her hands together happily. "Great! If you want to stick with me when I introduce myself to the others, that's fine."

The private investigator hesitated, before he lifted his head to meet Kaede's, attempting to give her a confident look. "Thanks, but... I'll try to take your advice, and be more confident in myself. I'll meet up with you later... if that's alright with you anyways..." He trailed off.

The Pianist widened her smile, pumping a fist in the air. "That's the spirit, Shuichi! Believe in yourself! Let's definitely meet up later, your my first friend here, after all!" She exclaimed, waving to Shuichi as she walked off to talk to someone else.

The next person that caught her eye was a green haired boy who was deep in conversation with a tall, masked man, who was well above average height. As she approached them, she ended up overhearing the tail end of their conversation.

"...So then I got to the top of the mountain where the monastery was, and at first all the monks were hesitant to let me in. But then this albino girl told me if I was willing to fight her and win, they'd permit me to stay with them for a bit."

"Oh? And did you win?" The masked man asked curiously.

"Oh God no, not even close!" The green haired boy laughed. "She kicked my ass. But, me willing to stand up and accept her challenge granted me their trust. My time there was... enlightening. I learned a lot."

"What wonderful experiences you have had. I do wish to hear more from you in the future." The tall boy finished. The two then noticed Kaede's arrival, turning to greet her with full attention.

"Ah, sorry, I didn't mean to overhear that. It sounds like a cool trip you took." The blonde said with a laugh. "I'm Kaede Akamatsu, the Ultimate Pianist. Nice to meet you both." She finished with a bow.

"Hey, it's no problem. I love talking with other people about my adventures!" The green haired boy said with enthusiasm. "I'm Rantaro Amami, the Ultimate Adventurer. Nice to meet you Kaede."

"And my name is Korekiyo Shinguji, the Ultimate Anthropologist. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. You may call me Kiyo if you would like, it makes things easier." Kiyo said with a small bow.

"Oh wow, those are some cool talents!" Kaede replied, fiddling with one of her hairpins. "Do you travel the world, Rantaro?

Rantaro nodded with a smile. "For sure, several times in fact. I love going from place to place, living in the moment. I'm never tied down. Well, until now anyways..." He said with a laugh. "I was just in the middle of recounting one of my trips to China, since it's one of the few places Kiyo himself has never been to."

"It was a fascinating tale, I do thank you." The Anthropologist noted, as he turned to Kaede. "Tell me, Kaede, do you have any exciting tales? Surely a musician of your caliber has a wonderful story or two.."

The Pianist laughed nervously. "Well, there was this one time I performed for the king of Novoselic and his family, and I almost botched it..."

"Ah, you've met the royal family of Novoselic? I won't lie, I'm a little jealous!" Rantaro smirked. "You know Princess Nevermind is attending in Class 77-B, right?"

"Yeah, I know... but I doubt she remembers me. It was a pretty short performance for a large gathering after all." Kaede sighed.

"You might be surprised. The people who often strike the most memorable impact on a person are usually the ones who do not think they do." Kiyo mused thoughtfully. "As interesting as these stories are, I do believe I should go introduce myself to some more people. May we trade more adventures sometime else." The mased Anthropologist said politely, as he walked away.

"I think I'll do the same. It was nice meeting such a charming young lady." Rantaro teased, as he blew her a kiss and wandered off.

Kaede forced away the blush on her face as she wandered to find another one of her new classmates.

"Hey, you! Who the hell do you think you are, stealing my style like that?" Barked an angry voice behind Kaede

The Pianist turned to see a blonde girl of similar height to her, also wearing a pink shirt and skirt, though the other girls was much more... revealing than hers.

"Excuse me?" Kaede asked, dumbfound.

"You heard me, why are you just as stunning as I am?" The rude girl grumbled.

"I, um, sorry... or, thanks, I guess?" The blonde pianist blinked, unsure how to respond.

"That wasn't a compliment, you titless cow!" The girl responded, but there was no real venom in her words. "Look, there's only room for one blonde bombshell at this school, and it's gonna be me, Miu motherfucking Iruma, the gorgeous girl inventor!" She announced proudly.

"Oh, your an inventor?" Kaede asked, eager to steer the topic away from her tits... or lack thereof. "Ah, and I'm Kaede Akamatsu, Ultimate Pianist."

"You bet you sweet ass I'm an inventor, the best around in fact!" Miu exclaimed, barking into a large laugh. "So you play the piano, right Bakamatsu? I bet you've gotten REALLY good at hitting all the right notes, am I right?~" Miu said suggestively.

"Bakamatsu? And what are you implying?" Kaede stammered, her face beet red. "I've never done anything... like that. I don't even have a boyfriend!" She argued.

"Aw, so we've got a sweet virgin on our hands. If you want any tips donkey lips, the sex goddess is here to help! Catch ya around Bakamatsu!" The crass inventor howled as she walked away.

Kaede rubbed her temples, willing herself to calm her nerves. After a few more deep breaths, she walked to find someone else, sighing to herself.

"Well, I can't say things are going to be boring around here..." She mumbled quietly to herself.

Shuichi fiddled with his hands, nervously trying to find someone to talk to.

'I can do this. I promised Kaede I could do this. She believes in me' Shuichi chanted to himself in his head.

Eventually, working up his nerves, he raised his head above his cap in an attempt to find someone. He spotted a blonde boy a fair distance away, who was also alone and looked just as awkward as Shuichi did.

Shuichi approached behind the boy, clearing his throat. "H-hi. I'm Shuichi Saihara, the Ultimate Private Investigator. I look forward to being your classmate." He said, his lines sounding obviously rehearsed and a bit forced.

The other boy yelped, startled by Shuichi's introduction. He turned around, allowing the Investigator to see that the boy was actually a robot.

"Oh! I'm terribly sorry for not noticing you sooner! Please forgive me!" The robot wailed apologetically.

"Your... your a robot." Shuichi said bluntly.

"Yes, I am!" The robot stated, obviously insulted. "Are you another robophobe? I have recorded your comment, and will see you in court for you intolerent remarks!"

"N-no, I don't dislike you for it, I was just surprised, is all!" Shuichi said defensively. "You seemed just as lost as me, so I figured you would be a great person to talk to!"

The robotic boy visibly relaxed, as he heaved a deep sigh. "I apologize. I am not used to being around so many other people. This is all outside my comfort zone. Anyways, I am K1-B0, the Ultimate Robot. But please, address me as Keebo. It is nice to meet you Shuichi!" Keebo said enthusiastically, as he bowed much lower than he was supposed to.

Shuichi gave a genuine chuckle. "It's nice to meet you too, Keebo. So you don't get out much either?" He asked, more than happy to strike up a conversation with someone just as socially inept as he was.

"Not really. My father has mostly kept me and my existence under wraps, as the few times I have been revealed to the public, things became... less than ideal." Keebo said, deflating slightly, before he recovering quickly. "But now I have the privilege to be here, and get a chance to be just as human as the rest of you! I plan to make the best of it!" The robotic boy said happily, pumping a fist into the air.

"Yeah, I'm kinda the same way. I've always been around my uncle mostly, and almost nobody else. So I'm glad to have already made a new friend so quickly." Shuichi agreed, nodding his head to Keebo with a smile.

"Friend? Did you just call me your friend?" Keebo said, a hopeful look appearing in his eyes, as his smile grew wider.

The Private Investigator nodded, returning Keebo's smile. "Well, yeah. I was hoping we could be. We clearly both are lacking in the social skills department, and I figured we could learn together. That's what friends are for!"

Keebo blinked for a moment, as if processing what the black haired investigator had just said, before letting out a cheer and hugging Shuichi. "Thank you, my new friend! We now have a pact of camaraderie! It seems coming to Hope's Peak was the correct choice after all!" The robot said, squeezing Shuichi harder.

"K-Keebo, please, personal space!" The investigator grunted.

"Sorry, so sorry!" Keebo quickly apologized, letting go of Shuichi and bowing.

"Hey, it's alright! And it's nice to meet you, really. Talking to you has already given me the confidence to go talk with the others." The black haired boy said earnestly.

"Indeed! I feel the same way! I'll see you later, my friend!" Keebo said childishly, as he practically skipped away to find someone else.

Shuichi sighed, rubbing the back of his head with a small smile.

'Maybe this won't be so bad after all...' He thought to himself.

Shuichi then moved on, noticing a girl with an elegant dress, and a cart of food of all things, in deep conversation with a giant boy sporting glasses.

He quickly moved over to them, clearing his throat quietly to get their attention.

"Oh! Has new person come to introduce themselves to Gonta?" The big burly boy named Gonta asked.

"Ah, I have. I'm Shuichi Saihara, the Ultimate Private Investigator. I look forward to being your classmate" He told them, with this introduction being an improvement over the first.

"It is good to meet you Shuichi! Gonta's name is Gonta! Gonta is the Ultimate Entomologist!" The boy who was clearly named Gonta said happily.

"And I am Kirumi Tojo, Ultimate Maid, at your service." The girl in the elegant dress replied with a perfect curtsey. "I hope to provide the upmost excellent service and care to you all during our tenure here."

"It's nice to meet you both..." Shuichi said carefully.

Kirumi observed him briefly, noticing he was staring at Gonta in confusion. "I was just attempting to teach Gonta on how gentlemen should act. It was the request he asked of me."

"Yes! Gonta very much want to learn! Gonta aware he is not smart, growing up in woods with wolf family. Have much to learn!" The gentle giant affirmed with a smile.

"Very much to learn indeed..." Kirumi said with a frown. "However, your heart is clearly in the right place, which is a good start. Your grammar, however, could use some work. I shall endeavor to help you learn." The maid told him with a bow.

"Gonta very thankful!" The entomologist replied, grabbing a cookie off of Kirumi's cart.

"Ah, that reminds me. Shuichi, would you like a snack, or perhaps a cup of tea? I took the liberty of preparing some snacks before the ceremony for you all." Kirumi informed him.

"Ah, thank you, but I'm fine for now" Shuichi refused politely.

"Understood. I shall now go consult the rest of our classmates." The maid bowed once more to him, before making her way across the gym, with Gonta in tow.

"Hm, everyone seems pretty nice and relaxed so far, I hope everyone else is too..." Shuichi wished hopefully.

And there it is. I hope you all enjoyed the first part of the introductions. We'll meet the rest of Class 78 and 79 next time.

Speaking of the next chapter, I'll be commenting on all of your reviews down here! So if you have questions or comments, drop a review!

Until next time!