Chapter 1: Inflection Point
A/N: Hello all! So, I figured I may as well keep this writing train running while I'm still feeling it after finishing my last story. This story is a prequel to my last story, Good Luck Charm, starring a secondary character from that story. The genre is somewhat different, as is the tone, but the areas of focus of this universe remain largely the same. This is still, in large part, going to be a poker fic, but I'll be tackling the topic from a different angle this time.
This is an alternate universe fic taking place in a fictional universe mostly similar to our own. Reading the sequel is not necessary to understand this story.
I don't own Digimon.
OOO
"This game's been around for over a century. Millions play it, many of them religiously, almost every day. Some do it for a living, making millions," Koushiro admitted. "And they're all playing it wrong." Rated T for mild language and adult situations.
OOO
~October 25 2321~
It would have been funny if the seriousness of the situation didn't sap all of the possible humor out of everything.
It made perfect sense that Koushiro Izumi would only understand how to present himself in professional settings as if he had only ever read about them in books. Fiction books, in fact. It was probably the case that he had only read about them in books, after all. He had a general idea of how they went, but the specifics and particulars weren't quite there. It was often said by those around him that he had more money than he knew what to do with. Sometimes it was much more obvious that he *really* didn't know what to do with it.
"Mister Izumi, are you taking this seriously?"
Koushiro tilted his head over to his right, over towards an elderly man with glasses, seated across the long table from him. The entire far side of the table was lined with people who Koushiro had never before met. Mostly elderly men with glasses, a few middle-aged women, all of them wearing suits. Each of them had their eyes on Koushiro, perhaps a dozen people he didn't know, all making him the center of attention.
The room couldn't help but feel like an interrogation room to Koushiro, although with it's glass walls it was likely a good deal more friendly than an actual one. And he was at least allowed an ally, his father, seated to his immediate right. And flanking the two of them were more allies, although these were allies he didn't know personally. Half-a-dozen men in suits, seemingly pumped off of an assembly line somewhere. A factory, producing men and women wearing suits, designed for maximum efficiency at the expense of design and creativity.
Yes, wearing a tuxedo was clearly a mistake on his part. He was starting to figure that out.
"Yes," Koushiro insisted, eyes darting about on the table surface in front of him, tugging at his collar. "Um, but before we continue, there are...two Mister Izumis present, so I think we should come up with a way to differentiate between me and my father."
An extended silence followed, Koushiro feeling as if he had just told a bad joke that nobody in the room found funny. He wasn't sure how what he had said could be construed as a joke, but so it was.
"I'm not used to being called a Mister, so...my name's Koushiro. That works well." Koushiro reached up to scratch the back of his head.
"Very well...Koushiro. Are you prepared for the examinations today?" he asked. "You understand what we're here for, right?"
Koushiro gave a small grimace. "I...I may have misjudged appropriate attire for the occasion." He gestured to his left and right. "I've got my lawyers here, I'm ready, appropriate attire or not."
"Very well," the man replied, looking down at a thick folder of documents in front of him. "Koushiro, this is a rather unusual situation, but...understand that all of us have the same desire. We want to keep this out of the courts. We want to find a settlement that we can all agree on in a timely manner."
"I'm perfectly willing to settle this right now," Koushiro replied quickly. "Um, okay, which group represents who, here?"
"Koushiro, you don't particularly sound like someone who's taking this this seriously," a voice from his left spoke. A female this time.
"I'm being serious," Koushiro protested. "You'll have to forgive me for being confused, I'm currently being sued by two different parties at the same time, it's hard to keep things straight. Frankly, I find it bizarre, everyone being in the room at the same time."
The elder Izumi placed his hand on Koushiro's right shoulder. "Um, let's let the...professionals work this out, son."
"We need to piece this entire timeline together before we can talk settlement," the woman explained. "And since both of your cases pertain to the same sequence of events, we can save time and streamline these cases by working together."
"I'm just starting to think that I might be a little outnumbered here," Koushiro suggested. "Two teams of lawyers, if I had known things would be like this, I might have hired a second team—"
"Son," Masami said. "That's enough."
"Your team is more than sufficient," the woman insisted. "We are not here to gang up on you, only to represent our clients."
"Alright, we're already running late, let's begin," a man seated in the center of the table said. "So commences session one of legal hearings dealing with the matter of Poker Hub Versus Koushiro Izumi, as well as Troy Starr Versus Koushiro Izumi." He looked over to his right. "Raymond Paxson, C.E.O. of Poker Hub, present. Troy Starr, venture capitalist, present. Koushiro Izumi, professional high-stakes poker player, present. All present are joined by legal teams working in the best interests of their clients. Plantiff number one, Poker Hub, seeks financial reparations for actions taken against their website's terms of service. Plantiff number two, Troy Starr, seeks financial reparations for agreements made in bad faith."
"God damn kid thinks this whole thing is funny," Troy muttered through gritted teeth, fidgeting around in his seat.
"Mister Starr, that's quite enough," the man said dismissively. "Now. Mister Iz...Koushiro. June the third, year two thousand, three hundred, and seventeen. It's understood that you have a nearly flawless memory, so we'll start with you. What do you recall about June third, two thousand three hundred and seventeen?"
Koushiro blinked a few times. "Monday."
OOO
~June 3 2317~
"I just don't feel comfortable answering those kinds of questions."
Truth be told, Koushiro had never actually seen any other headmaster's quarters in his life. But he was still quite certain this was one of the lower-end ones in the world. A simple rectangular room bordered along the walls by short bookshelves, with a rickety oak desk in the center of it. Koushiro seated on one end of it, Headmaster Frost on the other side. There was no magic or aura to it, just another plain room, not at all unlike any other room on campus. Not at all appropriate for the head of the entire academy.
"Not at all surprising, Koushiro. People aren't really meant to make decisions like this at fourteen," Frost said. "But I do have to say, I highly recommend you push yourself, as much as you think you can."
Koushiro grimaced for a moment. "I don't think anyone could argue that I haven't been pushing myself these last three years."
Frost quickly nodded. "Oh, yes, don't get me wrong, Koushiro. I'm just saying, I think you really owe it to yourself to make...possibly difficult decisions in the interest of advancing yourself as much as possible. I'm willing to do everything in my power to facilitate anything you'd like to pursue."
"I don't have any issues with Stratton, sir," Koushiro insisted. "I've spent three years here, my father teaches here, it's two blocks away from where I live...my plan is to return here in three months and continue on with my education."
"Koushiro, I...believe me, I take pride in my work over the years to squeeze every last dollar out of our budget to maintain Stratton, I've done the very best I can, but...I don't see any point in lying to you given the stakes." He held his arms out to his sides. "We're very limited in what we can offer our students. This is a two star academy, and frankly I take pride in pulling out that second star." He pointed over at Koushiro. "You are not a two star student."
Koushiro fumbled with his words for a moment. "Well, I...Stratton's certified to award class ranks in all the officially recognized major categories. That's good enough for me."
Frost sighed. "Yes, technically, we can offer everything in the way of certifications, but...Koushiro, you understand, you're a special circumstance. You're not...I didn't just call you in here and bring all this up to you because you're the...best student in your year, that's...that would be one thing. You're a generational intellect. And I'd hate to do anything to limit what you end up being capable of."
"W-well, that's...that's impossible to verify," Koushiro protested. "Um, generational intellect, you'd have to...conduct studies that eliminate environment variables, observe people over extended periods of time, I...that might be taking it a bit too far."
"Splitting hairs, Koushiro. Splitting hairs," Frost dismissed, waving him off. "I can safely say that no one in the history of Stratton Academy has done what you've done. Or come particularly close. I don't want you to be inhibited by the limitations we have here. Every academy on this planet would jump at the opportunity to have you, finances wouldn't be a concern. They have funds for situations just like this."
"It just feels a little too big for me," Koushiro replied, fingers curling open and closed on the armrests of the chair unconsciously. "Maybe it feels like something else to people...on the outside, but I'm still just a kid. And living with my parents, seeing them everyday, having my father here with me, it's...that's really important to me."
"I understand, but...well, I'll just come out and say it, it's not...it's not an uncommon arrangement at all. We're an outlier here, most campuses have dormitories where students live, and it does happen that the students begin living on campus as early as twelve." Frost nodded. "If you were to take the plunge, I think you'd adjust and do just fine."
"I'm not ruling it out, but it's a lot for me to swallow," Koushiro continued. "I can do well here, I can achieve what I need to achieve."
"Koushiro, believe me, I wouldn't be proposing any of this if I thought that was true." Frost gave a small scowl down at his desk. "Class achievements at Stratton don't count out in the world the same they would at...Gillian or Skyridge or Palant. They can offer you the opportunity to take full advantage of your capabilities, and have your accomplishments be fully recognized by the world when you're done."
Koushiro sighed, thinking for a moment. "I...my family, it's really important to me to be around them. You have to understand, I...I don't think I'm ready to be out on my own."
"You should tour one of these campuses over the summer," Frost suggested. "It might give you an idea of what you would be gaining by transferring. I'm trying to look out for your best interests in saying all of this, Koushiro. I think it would be good for you. And what's good for you could potentially be very good for this planet."
"I...I have a long summer ahead of me to think about all of this, I'll think about it," Koushiro said. "First I have to focus on Systems Science for a few more days, all of this doesn't mean nearly as much if I don't finish there."
"I'm somehow not worried about that," Frost said with a small smile. "You haven't failed at anything you've tried here in the last three years, don't see why you would start now."
Koushiro stood up, reaching down to scoop up his backpack, grabbing it by the strap and throwing it over his shoulder. "Just saying that doesn't mean anything," he said. "Headmaster Frost, thank you. Believe me, I want as many options as possible open this summer, I'll...I'll think about everything. But...having me move away from my parents, I don't know. That doesn't feel like something I can do easily."
"You're a very special child," Frost insisted. "I would feel bad if you weren't able to take full advantage of it all."
"Honestly, my hope is to be...like my father, a teacher," Koushiro said. "I want to teach at an academy. If you guys can help me go in that direction, I'd be pretty satisfied."
Frost shrugged. "A noble endeavor, to be sure. But, I must say, if you wanted to be, you could be just about anything." He reached up to tap his left temple. "Just think about it."
Koushiro nodded, turning to leave the small room. "Don't worry, I will."
OOO
"So, did Frost induct you into his club yet?"
Koushiro looked over to his right, a dark-haired boy joining him at the long, rectangular, plastic table. The giant room had a dozen identifical tables in total, each one providing a couple dozen stools along the sides. Efficency and symmetry over design, no doubt. As was typical in the middle of the day, the room was fairly jammed with children, aged twelve through eighteen, kicking up an unavoidable ruckus as they found various ways to get through their lunch period. Koushiro generally preferred his lunch hour to consist of little more than lunch, but there were a couple people he was willing to make time for if the opportunity was there. Koki Yamanashi, a friend of his since before their academy years, was one of those couple. Of a similar thin build to Koushiro, Koki was perhaps just slightly shorter, wearing a tan shirt and khaki cargo shorts.
"What are you going on about?" Koushiro said, nose wrinkling as his dropped his arm down to the table, clutching a large, square, white sandwich in his right hand. "Are you still on that?"
"No, come on, you have to tell me," Koki hissed. "I've been on top of this for years, if you know something you *owe* it to me to let me know."
"I don't know anything," Koushiro said flatly. "The Headmaster just wanted to give me some advice on my future."
"Uh, yeah, that's what *I* meant," Koki said. "Gave you advice on your future. A future that, he hopes, will involve leveraging yourself in the service of the New World Order."
"Oh yes," Koushiro muttered. "The Headmaster of a subpar academy in Leavensworth, obviously a member of a secret society bent on world domination."
Koki gestured over towards Koushiro. "He oversees the majority of the educations of thousands of people. You can't see the immense value in having someone like that on your side?!" He reached up and rapped his knuckles on the back of Koushiro's head. "Come on, you have to think like these people if you want to figure them out."
"Uh, great," Koushiro said, reaching up and pushing Koki's hand away from his head. "Not that interested in figuring them out, in case I haven't made that clear. And, no, there was no inducting into any clubs, or any indication of inductions coming."
"At least...not yet," Koki continued to push. "Look, I'm just saying man...someone like you, they're going to WANT you on their side. The day is coming when they recruit you, or at least lay the seeds for turning you. This strikes me as an opportune moment for them to begin."
Koushiro gave a small smile. "If the New World Order actually wanted me, for...some reason, they would spend fifteen minutes with me, realize they had made a massive mistake, and move on." He turned towards Koki. "So there's nothing to worry about."
"Oh, don't be like that!" Koki insisted. "Buddy, you *have* to realize what you are. What you can do. You've been doing it for three years, it's not a fluke."
Koushiro shrugged. "I'm smart, I...there are smart people everywhere. Millions of them."
Koki snorted. "I would have to drop a grand piano on your head a couple times for you to be considered 'smart'." He pointed at himself. "I'm smart, you're...you're—"
"I just got done hearing all of this from Frost. I don't feel the need to hear it again," Koushiro said, lifting the sandwich back up to his mouth and taking a bite.
Koki paused for a moment. "Well, what did he say?"
Koushiro paused for a moment. "He...strongly recommended that I apply for transfer to a five-star academy so I can...maximize my potential. Said the finances can be covered by the academy's financial plans, and that moving away from your parents to attend academy isn't an uncommon practice, even at my age."
Koki popped open the lid on a square tin lunchbox. "Well, of course, right?"
"Yeah yeah, I know, *obviously* a member of the New World Order would want me to get a better education so I can be capable of even more when I'm inducted into their ranks, yeah, I get it—"
"Well...yes, also that," Koki agreed. "But, I mean, you're all over that, right? Financial aid to go to...Skyridge or something? Obviously, you're on for that."
Koushiro pursed his lips. "Look, it's...not that easy."
"You mean like paperwork?" Koki asked.
"No, I...paperwork...it's just, me moving away from my parents, man," he admitted. "I don't know if I'm ready for it, and...if I did do it, and I was mentally compromised, then what's the point?" He shrugged. "I don't think I could do it."
"Buddy, you can *not* stay in Leavensworth," Koki said, leaning in closer to his friend. "Trust me, everyone, I mean everyone, knows you're destined for greatness. Nobody is going to be offended if you leave, in fact...I'll be offended if you don't leave."
Koushiro raised an eyebrow, glancing over at Koki. "Uh...okay then."
"Really, seriously," Koki continued. "You stay here, you're taking a...beautiful, antique painting and using it as toilet paper. May as well be, anyway."
Koushiro took another bite from his sandwich. "Well, maybe I'll move away when I'm older." He nodded. "I don't have to stay here forever or anything, I'm not saying that, but I'm still a kid." He turned back towards the book that was opened on the table in front of him.
"But you need to push your education now, *while* you're still a kid. What you do now changes everything later."
"Believe me, I've...I heard all this from Frost," Koushiro interrupted. "It's worth considering, I'm not saying it's not." He lifted the right page of the book up and flipped it over. "But...I just don't know if I can do it."
Koushiro didn't feel particularly like getting overly sentimental about his attachment to his parents in the middle of a crowded, loud cafeteria, so he was hoping to leave it at that.
Koki cleared his throat, pulling a sushi roll out of his lunch pail. "Just keep it in your mind." He reached over his shoulder towards his bag, pulling a rolled-up newspaper out of a side pocket. "I've read about places like Skyridge. They have maximum classroom sizes of fifteen students for all classes two hundred and above, think about how much better that would make things. And don't get me started on those luxury dorm rooms."
"Believe me, I'm well aware that there's a good reason why they get five-star classifications and Stratton gets two-star classifications," Koushiro said. "Now, either way, this conversation is meaningless unless I nail my first class in Systems Science, so I'd like to focus on that."
"Yeah, because that's a real concern," Koki said dryly. "Also, seriously though, if Frost *was* in the New World Order, he *would* want you to go to a better academy, so...it's a reasonable thought."
Koushiro scratched at his nose, smiling a bit to himself. "You know, I still think that you don't actually believe any of this, and you're just messing around with people in some misguided attempt to be funny."
"Then he's playing one heck of a long con."
Koushiro jumped up slightly, twisting his head to the left. "H-how long have you been there?"
Veronica Rogers was Koushiro's other ally in an academy almost entirely populated by people he was mostly ambivalent towards. A small girl with straight brown hair falling just past her shoulders. Her blue haltertop and white pencilskirt, along with white sandals, were appropriate for the incoming heat wave as summer approached.
"Just sat down," she replied. "I take it Koki's off on another one of his conspiracies? Should I go?"
"Hey, Koushiro is being encouraged to make major life choices by Headmaster Frost, so I think it's our duty to warn him about the possible implications," Koki protested. "He's trying to get him to transfer out."
"Three years too late, but still time enough to salvage things," Veronica replied. She reached over to pat Koushiro on the shoulder. "Good being your friend the last three years."
Koushiro rolled his eyes. "For one thing, if I'm going, there's no reason why you two shouldn't be going right along with me."
Veronica snorted. "What, as your...secretary and golf caddy?"
"Do the math, buddy," Koki urged. "I know you can, you've got the documentation at home to prove it. First class in Mathematics AND Computer Systems at fourteen? On the verge of Systems Science? I could NEVER do that. Hardly anyone could."
Koushiro shrugged. "I'm sure...both of you COULD have done it. You didn't, but...both of you are more than capable."
"Yeah, if we had the ability to freeze time," Koki quipped.
"You are doing it though, right?" Veronica asked. "Transferring out?"
"Maybe," Koushiro said lamely after a brief pause. "I have a lot of things to consider."
After a moment, Veronica gestured towards what was left of Koushiro's sandwich. "Last week of school, you're not letting yourself go a little bit?"
"Yeah, exactly, last week of school, you think I have any money right now?" Koushiro countered. "Because I don't."
"Well, seriously, try to scrape up something," Koki recommended. "It's the last week, so the servers are trying to get rid of as much food as possible. Practically double servings."
"I'll keep it in mind." Koushiro put the last bite of his sandwich in his mouth. "I can't exactly just...will money out of the air, you know."
"At least let me buy you dessert today," Veronica suggested. "They're doing Luxor Creme Pie, you can't miss that."
"Oh, so you're willing money out of the air now?" Koki asked, leaning back to look around Koushiro. "Do share your secrets."
"Just...just call it a thanks for helping me with those three hundred level Computing Systems tests," she said. "Although, in a few months, I'm sure he'll be somewhere where they give you...all the Luxor Creme Pie you want. Delivered up to your dorm by butlers."
"Hey, here you go," Koki suggested. "You wanna will money out of the air, go for this." He laid the folded up newspaper out on the table in front of him, pointing at a thin column of text with a small picture of a girl in a gold dress at the top. "I assume that one of the perks of being part of the New World Order is your choice of woman, get in on this one. She's the right age and everything."
"You think some very odd things," Koushiro chided. "If you do actually think them." Nevertheless, he leaned over to look at the column. "Uh, Heiress Diana Jackson has entire Panok Island rented out for thirteenth birthday party. Okay?"
"Well, to Koki's credit, as long as he's wasting time believing ridiculous, absurd things, I suppose he may as well go for broke," Veronica said, pushing a couple bites of chicken into her mouth.
"I...I don't follow," Koushiro said flatly. "If it was your goal to be so convoluted, I could no longer follow your ramblings, you did it." He nodded. "Well done."
"Well, this girl's father is obviously a part of the secret society too, so when you get in, and you meet him, you...you use that as your in, right?" He snatched the newspaper back over towards him. "Obviously, someone who earned his way into the society by pure raw intellect would be worthy of his respect, he'd be happy for you and his daughter to get to know each other, and boom." He pointed at Koushiro. "The smartest man on the planet, hooked up with the heiress to the Jackson diamond mine? You'd discover immortality with those funds!"
Koushiro moved his lips around for a moment. "You know, I think you'd be smarter than me if you stopped spending so much time dreaming up these...incredibly complex futures that are so far removed from reality, I don't even really know what to say when you're done describing them."
Koki laughed. "But then I wouldn't be me anymore. And that's not acceptable." He took another bite from his lunch. "Isn't that just insane, though? Like, you're born, you're in the process of learning how to react to sounds and movement, you're just starting to get the strength to move your head around, and boom, your father comes into ownership of land that ends up holding the world's most lucrative diamond mine, and that's that. You haven't even said a word in your life, and just like that, everything's just there for you. You could devote your life to be the most worthless, ignorant, unaware person you can be, and you're still going to have everything you can ever want."
"It's really something else, where the Koki verbal roller coaster can take you if you don't sedate him in time," Veronica murmured.
"What? I just find it...it's so hard to imagine having a life like that. Can you, can you even imagine what it must feel like to know you're going to be fine no matter what you do?" Koki leaned over to look at Koushiro. "Just...imagine that."
"I'd rather not," Koushiro replied quickly. "Doesn't really do me any good to imagine it."
Veronica cleared her throat, thinking for a brief moment. "O-oh, guys, I'm gonna need some impartial guinea pigs. My mother's been teaching me how to make Miso Soup with Mussels the last couple days, I think I'm ready to try a solo pot."
"See, when you say guinea pig, it...it doesn't make me feel good," Kiko protested. "It makes it sound like you've put this...experimental drug in it that might make me grow a third ear on my back."
Veronica leaned over to shoot him a dry look. "You've had my cooking before, don't act like that."
"No, I think you're really good," Kiko insisted. "I just, I'm just saying, guinea pig makes me feel...uncomfortable about the whole process."
"I'll have to pass on tonight," Koushiro said. "My cousin's coming over this afternoon, I need to be home tonight."
"Oh, right," Veronica recalled. "Really great fifteenth birthday present from your family. Phenomenal gift."
Koushiro's face faltered slightly. "I'm fine with it."
"Fine or not, it still blows," Koki agreed with Veronica. "You're about to become the most decorated third year student in Stratton history, you're turning fifteen in four days, should be a...should be a time for the birthday gift to end all birthday gifts." Koki rolled his eyes. "Instead you're losing half of your bedroom to a cousin you barely know for the summer."
Koushiro cleared his throat. "The Izumi clan doesn't have much if they don't have family unity," he stated simply. "My cousin needs to live in this area for the summer for his apprenticeship, and can't afford an apartment. I'll make do with half a bedroom."
"Be that as it may, I would hope your parents come through in spades on thursday," Veronica chimed in. "I think you're entitled to some high expectations."
"I'm not a big fan of feeling entitled to anything," Koushiro said. "Besides, turning fifteen or not, it's just a day like any other."
"Listen to this guy," Koki said with a small laugh. "Breaking my heart. He's sitting on a luxury speeder jet, and all he gets to do is drive it back and forth to the grocery store."
"Well, my parent's situation doesn't exactly change just because I achieve things academically," Koushiro said, standing up and closing the book. "I know both of you are unfortunately familiar with that fact."
"Hey, hey," Koki said, reaching up to grab the hem of Koushiro's overjacket. "I get it, believe me, but...you deserve it, is what we're trying to say."
Koushiro swallowed, then gave a forced smile. "Thank you, Koki."
"So, Miso Soup another night?" Veronica asked. "Wednesday or something?"
"Or something," Kiko agreed. "It is the last week of school, and even if I didn't aim as high as Koushiro, I'd still like to hit the target, so we'll play it by ear."
"You'll both do great," Koushiro insisted. "I want to run a few paragraphs of my Systems Science dissertation past Mister Sirius before I start doing finishing touches, so I'm gonna run over to the computer labs." He lifted the book up off the table surface and slipped it into his backpack.
"Good luck," Veronica said. "And buddy, really. Look up the details on Palant. Sounds like paradise. It'd be criminal if you didn't get a few years in at a five-star."
Koushiro nodded. "It's a possibility." He turned away from the table, cutting his way through the crowd of bodies as the incoming end of the lunch hour prompted waves of people to make for the exits.