Chapter 13: Everyday Life with the Ultimate Gambler


Hello once again ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Ultimates of all ages! wesst1 is back in his own story!

Before we get started, I would like to congratulate Pupla on a successful relaunch of his story! Congrats Buddy, I'm with you every step of the way.

I would also like to congratulate The Overlord of Ice for their fic, "Strange Lovers," a Makoto/Akane story that I highly recommend. If you haven't read it yet, check it out and add it to your favorites/follow list.

Next, I would like to thank everyone for the positive feedback I got for the previous chapter. I honestly thought I was playing with fire there, and maybe I was, but I'd never let anything irreversibly bad happen to these characters, their canon world had enough of that already when you think about it.

But now, the focus of this chapter; your favorite Gothic Lolita Gambler and mine, Celestia Ludenberg! Or Taeko Yasuhiro if you prefer. You know, I honestly wasn't sure I'd get here. I didn't think it was a story people would be interested in. Or I'd run out of ideas. Or something else. Yeah, I worry a lot over the most trivial things. But I have great readers, and you have all kept me going. So, for the rest of the first year at Hope's Peak we have Celes, Peko, Kyoko, two chapters that I'll leave as a surprise, Chiaki, Chisa, and Junko. Then we can have some fun with their summer break, tie up a few loose ends, and come back to Hope's Peak with Sakura, Toko, the V3 girls and maybe some DR3 girls and maybe Natsumi and Sato if you all really want them.

When we last left our hero, this chapter's lovely leading lady was blowing up at Hiro over something he said. What could be bad enough to get her composure to slip? Well, oh reader, mine, let's find out!


Present Day

In his time at Hope's Peak Academy, Naegi had been through a lot. Classes, extra curriculars that involved assisting in the elementary school program, hostage situations, having his organs offered as payment for debts without his consent. There was, however, one thing he knew he could never get used to: the Jekyll and Hyde-like personality of his classmate Celestia Ludenberg. Maybe in her case it's more accurate to say Celestia Ludenberg/Yasu-, Naegi stopped that train of thought when he and Yamada approached Celes and Hagakure. Their male classmate was cowering in fear as Celes demanded he repeat whatever it was that set her off.

"NOT TALKING?! YOU HAD SO MUCH TO SAY BEFORE!" Celes screamed, her red eyes blazing with fury.

"I-I-I-I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean it," Hagakure said pitifully.

Yamada attempted to get Celes's attention off of Hagakure, "Celes-sama?"

"DIDN'T MEAN IT MY ASS! YOU SAID IT AT LEAST TWICE!" Celes continued to scream.

"Celes-sama!"

"I-I-I'll take it back! Please don't kill me!" Hagakure begged.

This time Naegi tried to get her attention, "Celes-san?"

Instantly Celes composed herself, almost as if her rage had just been in everyone's imagination. "Oh Naegi-kun. What brings you here?" she asked calmly.

Deciding that the best course of action would be to ignore what he had walked in on, Naegi said, "Yamada-kun tells me you needed help with something."

"Grand Bois Chéri Ludenberg seems to have gone missing and I enlisted the help of some of our classmates as well as Hanamura-senpai," Celes answered.

"Hagakure-dono called Grand Bois Chéri Ludenberg a 'stupid cat,'" Yamada whispered to Naegi.

Naegi nodded in understanding. That would do it, Celes-san loves that cat, he thought. "Is there anything I can do to help?" Naegi asked.

"My, my, it seems that it was the correct choice to make you one of my knights," Celes said.

"Celes-san, you know I would help even if I wasn't one of your knights," Naegi said with a smile.

Celes felt her cheeks heat up as she responded, "Y-yes, of course. No one knows more about devotion and selflessness that you Naegi-kun."

"Get back here!" a new voice shouted. All of those present turned to see a large cat carrying a gyoza dumpling in its mouth while Hanamura Teruteru chased after it.

"Hanamura-senpai," Celes said as she rang a bell, one Naegi believed he had seen in the cafeteria a few times.

"Celes-san, my apologies. I finished your dumplings, but then a cat came and swiped one. I was just about to make sure that it knows to stay out of my kitchen," Hanamura said.

"Do and you die," Celes said nonchalantly with her winning smile.

"Huh?" Hanamura was confused.

"I believe Celes-san asked for gyoza to help find Grand Bois Chéri Ludenberg. Given that he was carrying a dumpling I guess it's safe to say it worked," Naegi explained.

"…" Hanamura didn't seem happy to find out that he had spent time making what was to become cat food.

"We should follow before we lose him," Naegi said as he turned to Celes and grabbed her hand.

"As much as I detest exerting myself, I will make an exception in this case," Celes said as she fought to keep her face from turning red.

As the two ran off in pursuit of Grand Bois Chéri Ludenberg, the three boys looked at each other.

"All of that work…" Hanamura began.

"Getting that worked up…" Hagakure added.

"…just for a stupid cat," Yamada finished.

"I HEARD THAT!" Celes screamed.

The three boys gulped. They were not looking forward to what happened to them later.


As the two followed the cat, Naegi asked, "Has Grand Bois Chéri Ludenberg been acting strange lately?"

"There have been times when he disappears, but it's never been for more than an hour or so," Celes answered.

"Don't worry Celes-san, we'll get to the bottom of this," Naegi reassured her.

"Of course," Celes said happily. I can always depend on my precious B-Rank, Celes thought as she remembered why she made Naegi a C and then B-Rank.

Naegi smiled hearing the genuine emotion in Celes's voice. I'm glad Celes-san feels comfortable enough to be herself around me. I worry about her being Celestia Ludenberg all the time, sometimes she needs to be Yasuhiro Taeko, Naegi thought as he remembered what led to Celes deeming him worthy of her secrets.


Hope's Peak Academy-Old Building

Fifth Day of Classes-Saturday After Class

Naegi had finally found time to explore campus the way he wanted. While he had appreciated the tour Mioda had given him, she had glossed over a lot. I have a basic idea of what room is on what floor but except for the Music Room, not the exact location, he told himself as he poked around on the third floor. The first room he came to appeared to be a rec room complete with a pool table, dart board, the works. As Naegi took the time to carefully examine the room, a voice caught his attention.

"Greetings. I realize that we are classmates, but I do not believe we have been properly introduced. I am Celestia Ludenberg. But I would prefer it if you called me Celes," the female voice said. Naegi turned and it was indeed Celestia Ludenberg.

"Oh yes, I'm Naegi Makoto. I wasn't trying to be rude or anything, I just wasn't sure if you or any of the other girls were comfortable enough with me to introduce myself properly. I'm sorry Celes-san," Naegi said as he bowed in greeting and apology.

"Hmhmhmm, it is quite alright. You seem to have found yourself in quite the unusual situation," Celes said with a laugh.

"Thank you for being so understanding," Naegi said gratefully. Naegi then asked, "Celes-san, if I may impose on your kindness one more time there is something I would like to ask. You *are* Japanese, right?" Naegi felt odd speaking this way, but given how Celes acted, he figured proper speech and etiquette was the best way to stay on her good side while getting to know her.

"Of course. Why do you ask?" Celes asked.

"If you don't mind...could you tell me your real name?" Naegi asked.

Without missing a beat, Celes responded, "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 Celes."

She's polite, but pretty forceful at the same time. I don't think she wants to say any more about it, Naegi thought. He then decided to go over what he was able to find out about Celes before he came to Hope's Peak, I guess the rumors 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 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.

"I look forward to getting to know you better. Heh-heh-heh," Celes laughed as she left the Rec Room.

"I hope that we can be friend, Celes-san," Naegi called after her. Naegi wasn't lying when he said that, but he couldn't help thinking, That smile is beyond deceptive. I'd better watch myself around her. Thankfully, asking about her real name didn't seem to offend her, and she does seem interested in talking again. That's good, right? The answer to that question would have to wait until later though, he still had this floor and two others to familiarize himself with.


Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm

Eighth Week of Classes-Tuesday

Naegi was exhausted and understandably so. A sniper had attempted to assassinate his senpai, Sonia Nevermind. Had Naegi not tripped on the stairs when he did, Sonia would have been right in the bullet's path and…I'd rather not think about it, Naegi thought as he shook his head. His friend was safe, but the sniper was still at large. As he sat in the dorm common area, he did not notice Celes approaching him.

"Naegi-kun, I must say, I am impressed," she said, alerting Naegi to her presence.

Naegi gave her a confused look before asking, "Impressed with what, Celes-san?" To the best of his knowledge, he hadn't done anything out of the ordinary.

"Hmhmhmm, so you do not understand. Let me see if I can explain it. First though, I would like to share something with you," Celes said, amused at Naegi's confusion.

"Huh? What is it?" Naegi asked, still confused.

"My perfect gambling strategy," Celes answered simply.

"Is there really such a thing!?" Naegi asked, shock evident in his voice. How could there be a perfect strategy for games of chance.

"Of course, there is. Are you ready?" Celes asked. When Naegi nodded, she said, "Please pay attention. Whatever the game, you must have a mind for strategy. This will allow you increase your odds of winning."

Naegi nodded, that made sense, but it didn't sound perfect. Maybe Celes was just teasing him, but even if that was the case, he was happy to have a distraction from what had occurred earlier in the day.

"However, the exciting part about gambling is that there is power which can overwhelm any strategy," Celes continued, a serious look on her face.

Naegi was once again confused by his classmate's words. "There is?" he asked, hoping she would clarify.

Celes nodded and began by saying, "That power is," she paused for dramatic effect before saying, "luck."

"Luck?" Naegi asked. There had to be more to it, either that or, and Naegi knew he should have suspected this from the start, Celes was teasing him.

With a serious expression on her face, Celes nodded and explained. "There are only two types of luck—good and bad. There is no in-between. And that luck is built into every human at the moment of conception. Like a computer program. Some call it fate. The bottom line is luck is life. Do you see what I am saying?"

"You mean... that's your 'perfect strategy'?" Naegi asked. All that build up for something so underwhelming, Naegi couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

"Correct. You see. I was programmed to have good luck when it comes to gambling. This is why I have never lost," Celes told him. Her tone was even, but Naegi had the suspicion that Celes was boasting.

So that's all there is to it? Naegi asked himself, knowing that he couldn't actually answer. He would have passed the who thing off as a joke at his expense if not for the next words Celes spoke.

"You are the Ultimate Lucky Student, yes? Does this perhaps exceed my own luck? One day, I hope to put that to the test," Celes told him. Her voice never changed but Naegi knew a challenge when he heard one.

"I'd say my life's been more bad luck than good lately. Gambling's probably not a great idea for me, Celes-san," Naegi said.

"I wonder, would Princess Sonia say the same?" Celes mused. The luck that saved a life today, I must know more about it, she thought.

Naegi really didn't have an answer for that. Sure, when he tripped Sonia had been there, but shouldn't that mean that Celes should be having this discussion with Sonia instead. It sounded like literally dodging a bullet had more to do with Sonia's luck than his own.

"Hmhmm. Well then, have a nice day," Celes said before she quietly disappeared.

Was Celes-san trying to help? I guess I didn't hide that I was worried. Maybe Celes-san is actually a very kind person when she isn't gambling, Naegi thought.


Minato Inn

Eleventh Week of Classes-Tuesday

Naegi had to admit, Sonia's idea was brilliant. After the events at the Novoselic Embassy, he really did need a break and he was sure she (as well as Souda and Tanaka) did too. He was also glad that Owari's younger brothers and sisters were able to come. While most would say that looking after so many children was stressful, and it was, to Naegi, there was something relaxing about having them around too.

"Mako-nii! Come on!" Owari Ataru demanded as he tugged on Naegi's sleeve with surprising strength for a six-year-old.

Well, it was usually relaxing. Naegi was with the three youngest Owari children: Mari, Ataru, and Suguru. The four of them were on their way to the inn's game room, the three children excited to play with their Mako-nii. When they arrived, they were treated to the sight of ping pong tables, a pinball machine, any boardgame imaginable, and…

"Celes-san?" Naegi asked, finding his classmate by herself.

"Ah, hello Naegi-kun. Hello children," Celes greeted, her usual mysterious smile on her face.

"Hello Celes-nee-sama," the kids said as they bowed.

"Hmhmhmm, adorable. Has 'Mako-nii' been teaching you manners?" Celes asked, amused by how polite the youngest siblings of her wild senpai were.

"Hai," they answered. Truthfully though, Celes made them a little nervous. Naegi had assured them that Celes was a kind person and they believed him, but she did like to tease them, and they couldn't tell if she liked them very much.

Celes, having decided to go easy on the children, turned her attention to her classmate and asked, "Naegi-kun...do you like mahjong?"

"Umm... I've never actually played," Naegi admitted.

"Is that so? A pity. I was hoping we might play together," Celes said. Her voice was as calm as ever, but Naegi thought he picked up on some disappointment.

"Are you good at it?" Naegi asked.

"Good? No, I am not merely good. I once played a game of Russian roulette mahjong and won," Celes told him.

"Russian roulette...?" Naegi asked, although he hoped that Celes wouldn't go into too much detail. Judging by the confused looks on the children's faces, he would probably have to explain Russian roulette to them. He was hoping that the rest of Celes's story was appropriate for children.

"It was a truly fierce contest, put on by a half-insane billionaire in the basement of his mansion," Celes began. "My opponents were a fierce old man and a silver-haired boy who was said to have the devil's own luck. We played with a modified rule set. I remember well the glass tiles we used..." she trailed off. Naegi could tell she was enjoying the memory

"Celes-nee-sama, did you win?" Suguru asked.

Celes looked at the five-year-old boy and said, "I defeated them both at once. I will never forget the angry, twisted looks on their faces. The crowd that been invited to watch became positively riotous. Nobody could believe I had won." Celes then started to laugh a bit, "Hmhmhm. That is one of my fonder memories."

Just before Naegi could respond, Celes began to leave saying, "I was looking forward to testing my luck against the luck that made Naegi-kun a hero, but I suppose there are other ways. Good day children. Naegi-kun." I'll see it someday, but before that…maybe I should reevaluate Naegi-kun. He seems to understand devotion and self-sacrifice, perhaps he would make a good knight, Celes thought.

Once Celes had left, seven-year-old Mari turned to Naegi and said, "Mako-nii, I don't think you should play mahjong with Celes-nee-sama."

"Honestly Mari-chan, neither do I," Naegi said as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"What's 'Russian ruu-, Russian roll…?" Ataru began to ask, finding the pronunciation of "roulette" difficult.

Naegi wasn't sure, but he had a feeling that Celes told that story just to put him in this position. I can't tell if she's my friend or if I'm just a cheap source of entertainment, Naegi thought as he tried his best to explain Russian roulette to the children in an appropriate way.


Hope's Peak Academy-Cafeteria

Twelfth Week of Classes

"Celestia Ludenberg. Celestia... Ludenberg..." Most people would have found it odd that Celes was in the middle of the cafeteria saying her own name, and even Celes would admit that it was. Unlike most people, however, Celes felt the need remind herself that she was Celestia Ludenberg and not Yasu-, No, I am Celestia Ludenberg. No other name is good enough, Celes mentally scolded herself.

"What are you doing?" a concerned voice asked. While Celes had been lost in her own head, Naegi had come to check on her.

Collecting herself, Celes explained, "No matter how many times I hear it, I never tire of hearing my own name. Isn't it so splendidly charming?"

"It is beautiful, but I'm a little curious…why that name?" Naegi asked.

Celes stared at Naegi for a few seconds before asking a question of her own, "Why?"

Naegi elaborated, "I mean, is it from something? Why'd you pick it?"

"I did not pick it. My name was given to me by my mother and father," Celes said more than a little forcefully.

"So that is your real name?" Naegi asked. He knew it would be unlikely that he could trip up someone called the "Queen of Liars" but he asked anyway. He was torn. Naegi wanted to respect his classmate's privacy, but he believed that he couldn't understand her if he didn't know the truth.

"It is, indeed, my real name. Make no mistake about that," Celes said, matter-of-factly.

Deciding to switch tactics, Naegi then asked, "Okay so your parents gave you that name?"

Celes nodded and said, "That is right. My father is French nobility, and my mother is part of a German family of musicians."

There's no way that's true, Naegi thought. Naegi had a feeling that he wasn't going to get anything useful out of this conversation but decided to continue anyway. "Alright, so were you born in France or Germany?"

Celes decided to throw Naegi a curveball and answer truthfully, "Tochigi. I was born in the capital of Tochigi, which is known for its delicious gyoza." Celes had found that adding just a few bits of truth made her lies more believable.

"Utsunomiya," Naegi said.

"That is correct. You have proven you are roughly as intelligent as an elementary school student," Celes responded.

I guess I deserve that for prying, Naegi thought.

"You may be surprised to learn that I absolutely adore gyoza. I love its stench, its base vulgarity," Celes told him. That was true too. She was actually hungry for gyoza at the moment but had not found a place that met her standards. For restaurants or for gyoza. And although she had no doubts about Hanamura's abilities in the kitchen but asking him was out of the question. He was Hanamura Teruteru, that was all that needed to be said.

"If you like gyoza I know a place," Naegi said.

"Oh?" Celes asked. She doubted the place would be good enough for her, but she would at least hear Naegi out.

"Yeah, Asahina-san and I had coupons for this place called 'Spicy Ramen.' If you don't want ramen then I can at get some gyoza to go," Naegi suggested.

It was a sweet offer, as Celes would expect from Naegi and he seemed to understand that Celestia Ludenberg did not go to ramen shops. Another girl, one with a plain, unspeakable name did, but not Celestia. Still, she supposed that Naegi would not think less of her if she indulged in the pleasures of the plain. "I will think about it. Perhaps I will take you up on that offer one day," Celes said.

Naegi smiled. This conversation didn't get him as close to the truth as he would like, but he had gotten closer to Celes. Celes was happy too. Although he wasn't a vampire butler, she had to admit that she enjoyed Naegi's company. He does have a certain charm, Celes thought as she felt her cheeks warm slightly.


Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm

Fifteenth Week of Classes-Sunday

It had only been two days since Naegi had used his "secret weapon" on Saionji and while most had decided to give the situation more time, Naegi was not one of them. He probably would have felt a little better if Saionji wasn't avoiding Koizumi, but because of that Naegi felt like he had done major damage to their friendship.

I think I did the right thing, but I never wanted this to happen, Naegi thought. He had only expected Saionji to get mad at him, not the entire dorm. Unfortunately, he now knew that he was not the only one who had been fed up with Saionji. Moping wasn't like him; his optimism was his only redeeming quality if you asked him. The only bright side he could see for this was that he didn't get worse than detention for what happened at dinner two nights ago. Naegi soon got a distraction in the form of his classmate.

"Hello, Naegi-kun. I must say, I am quite troubled," Celes said gaining Naegi's attention.

"I'll help if I can Celes-san. What seems to be the problem?" Naegi asked.

"I'd like you to teach me something," Celes said simply.

"What?" Naegi asked as he tilted his head to the side, a clear sign of confusion.

"I want you to teach me how to play shogi," Celes told him.

Naegi hated that he couldn't help, but he wouldn't lie to his classmate. "Oh, uh... Sorry, I don't know how to play, either."

"I see... You really are useless, aren't you?" Celes asked. Naegi didn't hear any annoyance in her voice. On the contrary, Celes's voice had a teasing tone to it.

"Okay, ouch... But I'm surprised you don't know how to play. Is it because there's no shogi gambling circuit?" Naegi asked, trying not to be offended at being called "useless."

"Oh, there most certainly is," Celes quickly corrected him.

"What, really?" Naegi asked. He couldn't see how that could work. Shogi tournaments aren't exactly short. Do you bet on the players? Do you ante before every move? Naegi continued to ask himself questions before deciding that maybe it was too confusing to think about.

"It is all underground. It is rather shady, all things considered. I have tried my own hand at it, naturally," Celes said.

"Wait, even though you don't know how to play?" Naegi asked. High-risk, high reward was one thing, but Naegi couldn't help thinking that entering a tournament based around a game she had never played was risky even for the greatest gambler in the world.

"That is why I wish to learn now," Celes explained. Her next comments were directed more at herself than Naegi, "I placed my pieces on the board without even thinking. What on Earth was I doing?"

Naegi was unable to wrap his head around Celes's thought process and just to be clear he understood, he asked, "And you still tried to win an underground shogi tournament?"

"Tried? Oh, no. I did win," Celes said as if that should be obvious.

"You won!?" Naegi asked in shock.

"I didn't really understand, but apparently my final opponent was infamously powerful. She was...rather odd. She was a voluptuous woman dressed as an exotic French maid," Celes told him.

Naegi decided not to point out Celes's own preference for Gothic Lolita style clothes and instead asked, "But... how did you win?"

"Beginner's luck, perhaps?" Celes wondered aloud. Naegi couldn't help but think she was just trying to be mysterious.

"I don't think beginner's luck works in shogi," Naegi said simply.

"Hmhmhm. Is that so?" Celes questioned with a laugh.

Yup. The more I learn about Celeste, the less I understand her, Naegi thought. As Naegi tried to make sense of what Celes had told him, he realized something. I haven't been stressing over Saionji-senpai since Celes-san came to talk to me. Did she…? "Celes-san…Thank you," Naegi said.

"Whatever are you thanking me for? I simply came to ask that you teach me to play shogi and I know just as much now as I did before," Celes said as she turned to leave.

Naegi couldn't help thinking he had seen a small smile on her face as she left. Intentional or not, Celes had helped him. He may not understand her now, but he believed that he would one day.


Downtown Near Hope's Peak

Sixteenth Week of Classes-Monday

It was thanks to Kimura's medicines that Naegi was able to attend classes on Monday. Or rather, he was able to do so without anyone who wasn't in the alley the previous evening asking questions. He didn't really care too much about the injuries so much as he did about explaining how he got them, which would involve telling people what Saionji had gone through the previous evening. Saionji hadn't forbidden anyone from discussing it, but Naegi thought that she should be the one to tell the story, not him. Thankfully, that story had yet to reach anyone besides himself and the other occupants of the Girls' Dorm.

He was prepared for a normal day after the previous evening, so it came as a surprise to him that one of his classmates, Hagakure Yasuhiro, had said he needed help with something and begged Naegi to follow him. Naegi, being Naegi, had agreed without giving the matter much thought. While Naegi still remembered Ikusaba's warning about Enoshima, Naegi didn't believe that anyone at school, classmate, senpai, or teacher, would put him at risk willingly. So, it came as a rather large surprise to Naegi when Hagakure led him to an alley near campus where someone Naegi could only describe as a female version of Kuzuryuu and four men that, if one of them men's missing pinky finger was anything to go by, appeared to be yakuza.

"Hagakure-kun, what's going on?" Naegi asked now wishing he had declined the request.

"Don't worry, Naegi-chi, I've got it all under control," Hagakure whispered. This did little to reassure Naegi, especially since Hagakure seemed to be sweating uncontrollably.

The girl saw that and must have assumed Hagakure was going to try something because she soon said, "Alright you fucking fraud, I've been more than patient with you. I won't even count those three years you spent hiding like a massive pussy against you. But I want my money and I want it now!"

Hagakure paled and began to stutter, "I-I-I d-d-don't ex-exactly h-h-have it. B-but m-my friend here sh-should be mo-more than enough to c-cover it. I-I'm s-s-sure his organs w-will be worth e-enough to c-cover it."

"WHAT?!" Naegi shouted. When Hagakure said he needed help this was not what he had in mind.

The girl sighed and said, "It's my fault, I guess. Little bitch boys like you just can't act like real men. But I never thought you'd sell someone else out for your screw up."

"B-but I-I didn't screw up! Y-you got into Hope's Peak!" Hagakure defended.

"In the Reserve Course!" the girl seethed. That's why her uniform looks familiar, Naegi thought. Naegi knew about the Reserve Course, and he didn't like it. Just because those students didn't have a talent that was considered "Ultimate" level didn't mean that they were talentless, no one had a right to decide that, not even Hope's Peak Academy. Even though he was sure he was in mortal danger, Naegi couldn't help feeling sympathy for this girl and her peers.

"I-it's true that y-you aren't a-an 'Ultimate' b-but y-you're still at Hope's Peak," Hagakure said. Naegi had no idea why he had said that. Perhaps Hagakure was worried about his reputation at the worst possible time but Naegi knew this would only serve to make the situation worse.

The girl didn't yell, but instead gave an order in a calm voice. Despite how she sounded, her rage came across loud and clear, "Kill this fucker."

"W-wait! Please," Naegi begged. Hagakure wasn't his favorite person right now, but Naegi saw no need for him to die. "He has money. Hagakure-kun, will you just pay her? You told me about the money you have saved."

"No way. That's for my retirement and my OOParts!" Hagakure shouted.

"I've had enough. Kid, walk away, or I'll have my boys kill you both," the girl warned.

"I, I can't just let you kill Hagakure-kun," Naegi declared. Even though he probably has it coming, a darker part of Naegi's mind added.

"Boys!" the girl shouted.

As the men charged forward a blur shot forward and took out the four men in almost no time at all. Once the last one hit the ground the blur stopped and revealed itself to be Ikusaba Mukuro.

"Ikusaba-san!" Naegi shouted in joy. He felt bad that she had to save him twice in as many days, but he wasn't going to complain now.

"Naegi-kun, we need to talk about how trusting you are. This experience should be enough to prove to you that some are all too willing to take advantage of that," Ikusaba said, not even acknowledging Hagakure who looked as though Christmas had come early and he had gotten everything he had asked for.

Ikusaba turned to the girl and said, "Naegi Makoto isn't involved in whatever business you have with Hagakure Yasuhiro. I would appreciate it if you left him out of it."

"He got involved when he defended that lying sack of shit," the girl shot back.

Ikusaba sighed, shook her head, and said, "Of course he did. I'm sure there is a more peaceful solution."

"We are well past that point. That asshole had better have what he owes me by the end of the year or he's dead," the girl said as she walked away. She stood no chance against someone who could do that to her boys in such a short amount of time.

"Ikusaba-chi, thanks for the sav-," Hagakure never got to finish as Ikusaba punched him in the stomach causing him to hunch over in pain.

"Ikusaba-san?" Naegi asked, shocked by what his friend had just done.

"I heard everything. As much as I'd like to leave him here to face the consequences of his actions, we should take him back to school. I'm sure the Headmaster will find this interesting," Ikusaba said as she knocked Hagakure out and started to drag him. Naegi knew she could have carried him, he believed that Ikusaba just wanted Hagakure to be in pain when he woke up. Not that Naegi would ever say it out loud, but he couldn't help but enjoy watching each time Hagakure's head hit against an uneven slab of concrete.


Meanwhile

While Naegi was having another brush with death, Celes was in the Rec Room in the Old Building. She had no opponent; she had simply come to think while playing Solitaire. A simple game, but it always helped her think. The topic today? Naegi Makoto.

He does just about everything. He's kind. He's certainly brave. Yes, I do believe he is knight material, Celes thought. This wasn't a decision she made lightly, but it was certainly easier than she had expected it to be. She supposed Naegi was responsible for that too.

Celestia Ludenberg was a young woman who lived in a world of lies and as such trust was not something that came easier. She was not above using people and she fully expected that if someone with abilities superior to her appeared, they would do the same. She had expected that she would feel this way throughout her time at Hope's Peak, until she realized that she might have developed some affection for the people she thought she may one day need to use. She supposed she should have seen it coming, this was a school full of people who were the best of the best. Celes could use people she looked down on, but while the other students were inferior gamblers, they made up for it in other ways and she was forced to see them as her equals.

Then there was Naegi. He had no special skills to speak of, nothing approaching "Ultimate" level anyway, but he had something. What that something was, Celes didn't know, but it forced her to reevaluate the classmate she had originally written off as plain and average. Even more shocking, he didn't reject it, he almost seemed to embrace it. That is not to say that Celes believed Naegi was content to being mediocre, the fact that he tried as hard as he did in all that he did was proof that he believed that his hard work would be rewarded, but he was also not afraid to admit when he was out of his depth. He was ordinary, but capable of the extraordinary and Celes was more intrigued by that than his luck.

Another thing in his favor was his willingness to save others. After what had happened with Sonia, Owari, Asahina, and Saionji, Celes would occasionally find herself wondering if she would need to be saved by a knight in a green hoodie. Her face heated up at the very thought.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. Her burner phone was ringing, someone had news of an underground gambling tournament. Deciding that it might be worth her while to hear whoever was calling out, Celes answered, "Hello?"

"Is this Celestia Ludenberg?" a male voice asked.

"It is. Who is this?" Celes asked.

"Alright, alright, alright! Sister, you're not an easy person to contact, you know that. Anyway, my name isn't all that important, I'm something of a drifter, and Sister, I have the opportunity of a lifetime for you," the man said.

"Drifter, then. What could you possibly have to offer me?" Celes asked ready to end the call if he didn't get to the point.

"'Drifter?' I like it! Anyway, the major yakuza families are holding a Poker tournament near Hope's Peak Academy, and since your old pal Drifter runs in some…unusual circles, guess who was asked to bring in some of the big names of the underground gambling world?" Drifter asked.

"Why would yakuza want any outsiders at a tournament they are holding?" Celes asked, skeptical of the man's story.

"Sister, you think the players are the only ones betting? The heads of the various families are betting on the players. Not just money, but territory and parts of their businesses. Usually after drinking it over of course. A lot less bloody. Guess getting their suits cleaned after every disagreement got too expensive. And Sister, you don't want to see a room after drunken yakuza get done with 'business,'" Drifter answered.

"Why bring in outsiders?" Celes asked.

"So that their people can't be accused of cheating. Sending in one of their own is just asking for trouble with the other families. What's to stop the Shikabane clan from accusing a Kuzuryuu player of cheating for their boss? Doesn't matter if it isn't true, these families know not to trust each other. Nah, the less their own people are involved the better as far as they're concerned. Course, nothing is stopping them from inviting anyone they want as long as the buy in is covered, but they figured they needed some real high rollers to keep it fair. Fair for them anyway, not the poor suckers they personally invite," Drifter said with a laugh.

"…" It sounded appealing, but Celes wasn't sure she trusted this man.

"Tell ya what, you go to Hope's Peak, or so people say. Well so do the Kuzuryuu kids. Ask one of them if you won't take my word for it. I'll call back tomorrow. Hope you'll join us. It won't be the same without the 'Queen of Liars,'" Drifter said as he hung up.

Celes wasn't sure what to make of this. On the one hand, it sounded like a good opportunity to get closer to her dream. On the other, Drifter wasn't what she was used to in a contact, and that made her suspicious. She supposed that she could do as he suggested and ask her senpai, Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko about it. With that in mind, Celes decided to head back to the dorm for now.


Hope's Peak Academy-Cafeteria

Sixteenth Week of Classes-Tuesday

Naegi was still a little jumpy from his ordeal yesterday. Who wouldn't be? It's not every day that a classmate tries to sell you organs without your consent because he owes one of the largest Yakuza clans in Japan money. Naegi was happy that he had the support of his friends though, but for some reason, once Ikusaba had told the others what Hagakure had tried to do, Naegi had a feeling Hagakure had more to be afraid of than yakuza.

"Oi, Naegi!" a male voice called out.

Speaking of yakuza, standing at the entrance of the cafeteria was the Ultimate Yakuza, Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko. Naegi was dreading a conversation with Kuzuryuu, but he supposed he couldn't avoid one. So, he responded, "Hello Kuzuryuu-senpai."

"You're in an unusual position right now, you know that?" Kuzuryuu asked.

Naegi gulped and said, "I know."

"Did you know what was going to happen in that alley?" Kuzuryuu asked.

"No, Senpai."

"You realize what can happen to you for trying to protect that fraud fortune-teller?"

"Yes, Senpai."

"So why did you do it?"

"Hakagure-kun did lie to me. He was willing to sell me out just so he wouldn't have to pay back his debts with his own money. And quite honestly, I don't know if he actually learned anything from this. That said, he's my classmate, I couldn't let anything happen to him if I could help it."

"A guy with balls and honor. I can respect that. Are you familiar with Yakuza Code?" Kuzuryuu asked.

"Not really, no," Naegi admitted.

"The old Yakuza code emphasized respect for the common people. Back then, a victim of the Yakuza had to choose to become a victim. For example, no one forces someone to buy drugs from the Yakuza or spend their money at one of their brothels or gambling dens. Or say my sister, who despite everyone telling her not to piss away money on fortune-telling bullshit, did it anyway and got pissed off that things didn't go the way she thought they would. On the other hand, Yakuza would help those who were not given a choice in becoming victims. Like say someone who had their home burglarized, got mugged, was lied to and found out that someone was trying to sell their organs," Kuzuryuu put a lot of emphasis on that last part.

"I'm not sure I follow," Naegi said, confusion evident on his face.

"You and that girl with the freckles are safe because Natsumi's problem is with your classmate. That debt is going to have to be repaid at some point, but that's not your problem. The family discussed it last night and we decided that you didn't force yourself into Yakuza business, you were dragged into it. Don't push your luck though," Kuzuryuu explained.

Naegi sighed and said, "You have no idea how happy I am to hear that, Kuzuryuu-senpai."

"Just so there's no hard feelings, here," Kuzuryuu said as he handed Naegi two slips of paper. One had an address, but Naegi had no idea what the second one was. Seeing Naegi's confusion, Kuzuryuu explained, "That will get you into a Poker tournament that the different Yakuza clans are hosting this Saturday. I figured an Ultimate Lucky Student could benefit from something like that. It covers the buy-in. We plan to start by 9:00 so try not to be late. Best of luck." With that Kuzuryuu walked away.

Naegi knew he couldn't turn this offer down and offend Kuzuryuu, he just hoped that he didn't humiliate himself or Kuzuryuu by losing right away. Warehouse C at the docks? I'm worried but if I were a target for Yakuza, I doubt they'd waste time inviting me to a Poker tournament. I guess I'll be there Saturday, I better get permission from the school to be out, Naegi said to himself before going to lunch.


Meanwhile

While Celes had every intention of speaking with Kuzuryuu at lunch, she noticed both the Ultimate Yakuza and Naegi speaking at the entrance to the cafeteria. While Celes would never admit to it, even she knew that she had a problem with eavesdropping, but to be fair, since psychology was as much a part of gambling as luck or skill, it was useful. Knowing others' secrets always helped when she needed to keep them off balance.

So, Drifter was telling the truth, Celes realized as she listened in. It saved her the trouble of finding an opportunity to speak with Kuzuryuu. She wasn't too sure this tournament was something to be spoken of in public and didn't want to jeopardize what she believed would be easy wins. More importantly, this gives me the opportunity to test my luck against Naegi-kun's, Celes reminded herself. Naegi might not have believed her when she had told him, but Celes was serious about testing her luck against students whose talent was "luck."

Just as Naegi and Kuzuryuu had finished, and Celes decided to go to lunch herself, her burner phone rang. Celes knew that Drifter had said he'd call back today, but it seemed a little early for that. Still, she had made her decision, so she figured now was a good a time as any for this conversation. With that in mind she answered. "Drifter?"

"That's me. Now when you do what I do, you develop a sixth sense about a lot of things. Danger, opportunity, things like that, and something told me you're ready to RSVP," Drifter explained.

"My, that is a rather terrifying ability, but you would be correct. I will be happy to join this weekend," Celes said.

"Now we're talking. The buy-in is ¥2,000,000. Those invited by the Families don't need this, but everyone I invite needs a password, yours is 'Joker's Wild.' The location is Warehouse C at the docks. Things get started at 9:00pm on Saturday. You know how to get there?" Drifter asked.

"I believe I do, but one of my classmates will also be in attendance, I will just go with him," Celes told the man.

"Getting close to one of your marks? I can respect that. See you there, Sister!" With that Drifter hung up.

Celes put her phone away and proceeded to get lunch. Although she didn't show it, she was eager to see what Saturday would bring.


Docks Near Hope's Peak Academy-Warehouse C

Sixteenth Week of Classes-Saturday

It was the evening of the tournament and both Naegi and Celes were at the specified location. The warehouse had indeed been converted for the night's purpose: poker tables had been placed throughout the warehouse; lighting was excellent; and oddly enough, there were cameras around each of the tables.

Closed-circuit cameras? I guess they did that for space. That would explain why I haven't seen Kuzuryuu-senpai, Naegi thought. That only served to make Naegi more nervous. This was new to him and underground gambling wasn't exactly what one would consider safe. He wasn't sure who he would be playing against and in the unlikely event that he did well, who could say that some of the players wouldn't react violently?

Seeing Naegi's nervousness, Celes decided to speak to him. "It appears fate wants us to be close friends, Naegi-kun. Being invited to the same tournament, it cannot be anything else."

"I guess," Naegi said with a shaky voice.

Celes's voice adopted a dramatic tone as she said, "Let me share with you something. I will tell you about the biggest crisis I ever faced in my gambling life."

Naegi tilted his head in confusion before asking, "Biggest? You had a gambling crisis?" I guess even the Ultimate Gambler has off days, Naegi thought. His curiosity piqued, he asked, "What happened...?"

"A shadowy organization was hosting a mysterious tournament... The game in which I participated was called the King of Liars," Celes began.

"King of Liars?" Naegi asked.

Celes nodded and continued. "It was quite a severe game. When you enter, they strip you of all your assets. Money, property, everything. You must use your wisdom, cunning, and luck to battle through challenge after challenge. For the final match I had to face off with an odd duo. They called themselves the Honest Woman and the Liar Genius."

"Whoa, they sound pretty scary," Naegi said. Although he couldn't help thinking that those titles needed work.

Celes waved her hand after Naegi's comment and said, "Oh, that part is not important. But during a break, I was careless and spilled some tea on my clothes. I was terrified the stain would never come out. That was a very difficult time in my life."

"Huh?" Now Naegi was confused.

A completely serious look on her face Celes finished, "I was forced to win more quickly than I wanted to, so that I could rush to the cleaners. I was able to get the stain out, but it was perilously close. If I had waited even another hour, I would have been forced to throw out my favorite dress."

"..." Naegi had no words. None he would say out loud at least. That was her "crisis"? The biggest crisis she ever faced...? I just... don't even know what to say, he thought.

Celes noticed that even though he was confused, Naegi didn't look nervous anymore. That was good, Celes wanted to test her luck against Naegi and if he dropped out too early because of nerves she might not get that chance.

A few more minutes passed before a friendly male voice called out, "Hey! There's my favorite high school student!"

Naegi recognized the voice as belonging to the man who told him about Spicy Ramen. He looked exactly as Naegi remembered him: same hoodie; the hood was up; same blue eyes; and the same jovial tone. "Hi! You weren't kidding about Spicy Ramen. I don't think I can eat at another ramen shop anymore. I've actually been meaning to find you and pay you back for what the owner charged to your tab."

"Ah, don't worry about it. I gotta start checking the dates on those coupons," the man said. A clucking noise drew everyone's attention to the man's side. Under the man's arm was a chicken.

"Uhh…" Naegi struggled to find a way to ask his question.

"This little lady is my good luck charm. Colonel meet…uh…" the man started as he realized that he didn't know Naegi's name.

"Oh, Naegi Makoto," Naegi said as he extended his hand.

"Colonel, Naegi. Naegi, Colonel. Tonight, I'm going by Cayde. Like 'spade' but with a 'C'," the now identified Cayde introduced.

"Should she be worried? I mean a chicken named 'Colonel'…" Naegi began.

"Nah, just thought it would be funny," Cayde answered. Looking past Naegi, Cayde finally noticed Celes and began to introduce himself, "Hey there! As I was just telling my new friend here, my name is…"

"Cayde. Yes, I heard. I am Celestia Ludenberg. But I would prefer it if you called me Celes," Celes said.

"Oh boy, good thing I brought you tonight, huh Colonel?" Cayde asked as he recognized Celes's name.

By this time, more people were coming in and their hosts had decided to get things started. "Alright Mavericks, ready to hear what you're playing tonight?" a man asked rhetorically. Celes recognized the voice and was glad to finally be able to put a face to it. The man Celes had called "Drifter" looked like a large man with broad shoulders, but that might have been the heavy looking coat that he was wearing. He was a bearded man with a weather-beaten face. There was a smirk on his face, for what reason was anyone's guess. He continued, "Omaha hold'em! Get ready! Don't mind the cameras, friends of ours from Eito Studios were happy to lend them to us for tonight. Our gracious hosts will be watching from a different location, guess they figure a bunch of yakuza families being here in person would unsettle some of you. Now I invited some of you, but some of you are guests of the Kuzuryuu clan, the Shikabane clan, the Kitaki family, the Seto group, or the Edomae group. Hope none of you plan to cheat, heheheh!"

Naegi didn't plan to cheat, but the threat the Drifter implied made him gulp all the same.

Drifter continued, "Now, show your invites or tell your passwords to one of my associates and have your buy-in money or voucher ready. We'll get you set up at a table with your chips. Best of luck!"

Once he was finished, the players did as they had been told and were placed at one of the various tables set up inside the warehouse. Naegi and Celes were placed at different tables, much to Naegi's relief. He didn't expect to last too long, but he knew that Celes would knock him out of the tournament right away. The last person to be placed was Cayde, who seemed to be discussing Colonel's eating habits with the Drifter.

"She eats only sesame seed muesli, and drinks spring water with a sprig of parsley. Don't be afraid to let her roam a bit," Cayde said.

"Whatever you say Brother. If she gets in the way I might just have to introduce her to another Colonel we're all familiar with," Drifter replied.


Naegi was glad he studied up on the different types of poker. Omaha hold 'em is a community card poker game similar to Texas hold 'em, where each player is dealt four cards, instead of the two as in Texas hold'em, and must make his or her best hand using exactly two of them, plus exactly three of the five community cards. The five community cards are dealt face up in three stages. The stages consist of a series of three cards, "the flop", later an additional single card, "the turn" or "fourth street", and a final card, "the river" or "fifth street". Players have betting options to check, call, raise, or fold. Rounds of betting take place before the flop is dealt and after each subsequent deal. The player who has the best hand and has not folded by the end of all betting rounds wins all of the money bet for the hand, known as the pot.

It was a lot to take in, but it wasn't the hardest thing he'd ever done, and it had gotten him to the last game of the night. With him were Celes, not that he was surprised by that, Cayde, who he was thankful for since Cayde was another friendly face. Finally, the was a woman there. She didn't really stand out much, and if Naegi thought that, it was certainly true. She had short, blonde hair, was of average height, and was dressed in a plain t-shirt and jeans. She seemed friendly enough, but something about her seemed off. It was probably how she introduced herself.

"Hajimemashite! Watashi no namae wa Yasuhiro Taeko desu! Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!" the woman greeted in a very enthusiastic manner.

Naegi couldn't help but notice that Celes froze up upon hearing the woman's name. Cayde looked slightly confused by the woman's enthusiasm. So Naegi took it upon himself to greet the now identified Yasuhiro Taeko.

"Hi, I'm Naegi Makoto. Pleased to meet you." It wasn't that Naegi wanted to be unfriendly, but given that this was a yakuza sponsored tournament, he couldn't exactly get comfortable.

"Just call me Cayde," Cayde said simply.

"It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Celestia Ludenberg," Celes said almost robotically once she had composed herself. Naegi found that strange. Nothing ever flustered Celes.

Maybe Celes-san and Yasuhiro-san have a history, Naegi thought.

"Sorry, I'm just so excited for my first ever trip to Japan," Yasuhiro explained.

"Sorry Yasuhiro-san," Naegi noticed Celes flinch when she heard that name, "but your name is-."

"My parents were Japanese, but they moved to America for business. Eventually they became naturalized citizens and had me," Yasuhiro explained.

The look on Cayde's face said he didn't believe a word of that story and Naegi couldn't help but agree. Her accent suggested she was American, but Naegi believed that this woman's name was "Yasuhiro Taeko" as much as he believed that "Celestia Ludenberg" was his classmate's real name. Even her explanation of her name sounded like the one Celes had used. Before any more questions could be asked, Drifter came over and started the final game of the night.


Naegi couldn't believe that this was real. He and Cayde were holding out pretty well, much better than Naegi would have expected when going up against the Ultimate Gambler. The thing was, the person having the best night was not his classmate Celestia Ludenberg, it was the mysterious woman Yasuhiro Taeko, but Naegi didn't think it was due to any talent on Yasuhiro's part. Naegi had noticed that anytime Yasuhiro had a winning hand, she would share details about her life.

Yasuhiro had claimed that she was ignored and friendless because of how unremarkable she was.

Celes had bet a tenth of her night's winnings and lost that hand.

The next time hand Yasuhiro won she had claimed to be someone who was so overly plain that she had been isolated most of her life.

Celes bet a quarter of her night's winnings that time and lost once again.

Now it was happening again.

"As ashamed as I am to admit it, the only thing I ever had going for me was my gambling talent. Of course, back home in the States kids are forbidden from gambling in school so it really didn't help me make any friends," Yasuhiro shared. Seeing it was her turn to ante, she said, "I raise."

Naegi was next. "I fold." Feeling thirsty, he began to get up and asked, "I'm going to grab something to drink, can I get anyone anything?"

"Sake please," Yasuhiro said.

"I'll take whiskey if they have it, but anything with alcohol works for me," Cayde said. Since the they were waiting on him, he said, "I fold."

Drifter had a flask on him, so Naegi didn't expect an answer from them.

Celes didn't answer either, she was too focused on Yasuhiro. Naegi figured he couldn't go wrong with water.

As Naegi was getting everything, he was grateful that there were trays for beverages. He knew there was someone who had been serving refreshments all night so he could have just asked, but they had stepped out and Naegi didn't know where they were and didn't want to wait. Given that Drifter hadn't stopped him, he figured it was okay to serve himself and the others anyway. While he was doing this, he could hear Celes say, "Your stories are impossible."

Naegi saw Yasuhiro smile before she responded, "I assure you Celes-san, everything I have told you has indeed happened."

Celes growled and said, "I raise," as she pushed half of her chips into the pile at the center of the table. As Naegi made his way back to the table, he couldn't help but feel bad for his friend. This was not the calm and collected Ultimate Gambler, something about Yasuhiro Taeko's stories caused Celes's mask to crack and it was going to cost her. The strange thing was, Celes was not playing badly. She had won plenty of hands, but Naegi and the others were being cautious of the Ultimate Gambler, so the pot never grew too large when Celes won the hands. It was only when Yasuhiro was sure she would win that she would share alleged details of her life and then throw Celes off. It was almost like she was cheating somehow.

Before Naegi could think about it further, he felt something brush against his leg. Naegi tried to avoid stepping on whatever it was and lost his balance. The beverages ended up scattered with the contents of Cayde's glass of whiskey ended up all over Yasuhiro, who stood up in shock at having whiskey spilled on her. She was about to yell at Naegi before she saw what had caused him to trip. "Stupid bird!" she said as she pointed at Colonel.

"Sorry about that. I'll pay for cleaning," Cayde said hoping to calm Yasuhiro down and keep Colonel from getting too scared.

"I'm so sorry," Naegi apologized. Naegi turned to their host/dealer, he had heard Celes call him Drifter, and asked, "Are there any towels?"

Before Drifter could answer he saw something in Yasuhiro's ear. He then told Naegi that the towels were near the drinks. Once Naegi had returned and cleaned up the mess as best he could, the round had ended in Yasuhiro's victory which had pacified her slightly.

It was short lived however, as Drifter grabbed Yasuhiro by the shoulder and pulled whatever it was in her ear out. It was a wireless earbud, a small one that was simple enough to hide. It looked like all of the ones Drifter and the other dealers had been using that night. Drifter heard a familiar voice coming through the little speaker. Drifter had sent an announcer for the benefit of the yakuza families watching and it was his voice Drifter was hearing.

"You want to explain how you got this, Sister?" Drifter's voice was calm, but it promised dire consequences if Yasuhiro lied. Looking into one of the cameras set up around the table Drifter asked, "Could one of our gracious sponsors do your old pal Drifter a favor and bring my announcer in here?"

It didn't take long for announcer to be brought in by some low-level yakuza. It was revealed that "Yasuhiro Taeko" and the announcer were brother and sister. The announcer had indeed been helping his sister cheat. After some interrogation at the hands of both the yakuza and Drifter the siblings explained everything. Their father was a man Celes had defeated in game of Russian roulette mahjong, the fierce old man Celes had told Naegi about. They explained how their father had continued to lose everything to gambling when the shock of losing to a young girl had never worn off. Their mother left soon after and their father eventually died in the gutter. They had been planning their revenge on Celes for some time, both for their father and for the inheritance they would never receive. They finally got their opportunity in the form of this tournament when the announcer had suggested that Drifter invite his sister who was using the alias "Yasuhiro Taeko."

Unfortunately for them, their cheating had embarrassed one of the yakuza families who had been betting on "Yasuhiro Taeko" all night. The Shikabane clan was not a clan known for mercy and being forced to do damage control would only make things worse.

The siblings seemed to have accepted their fate though. "Yasuhiro" even seemed a little happy after she saw Celes. "Are you afraid, Celestia Ludenberg?" she asked.

"W-why should I be afraid? Why would I be afraid of someone who uses a loser name like 'Yasuhiro Taeko?' You're the ones who pissed off the Shikabane clan," Celes said as her mask slipped again.

"Why did you use the name 'Yasuhiro Taeko' anyway?" Naegi asked.

"The real one refuses to use it," "Yasuhiro" said before the yakuza took the siblings to their boss.

It wasn't much, but Naegi thought he understood. Before Naegi could give it more thought, Drifter's voice and hand on his shoulder brought him back to reality.

"I owe you one Brother. You and the chicken both. Can't have something like this making me look bad. Tell ya what, since the tournament's over, you three should probably split what our soon-to-be dearly departed friend won amongst yourselves and get out of here. You don't want to be here for yakuza business," Drifter said.

Drifter didn't need to tell them twice. Celes, Cayde, and Naegi cashed out the chips and left the docks as soon as they could.

"Well, that happened. You two think Spicy Ramen is open this late?" Cayde asked.

"It's almost midnight Cayde-san, and I don't think Colonel would be allowed in anyway," Naegi said.

"Good point. Well, we avoided getting cheated, made some money, and didn't piss off the yakuza, sometimes that's the best you can hope for. See you star side kids," Cayde said as he and Colonel left.

When Naegi was sure that Cayde couldn't hear them, he turned to Celes and asked, "Celes-san, I think I already know the answer, but what is your real name?"

"I believe that I have told you, Celestia Luden-, no, Yasuhiro Taeko is fine," Celes answered. Her voice never wavered but Naegi thought she seemed sad.

"After tonight I guess I understand, the underground gambling world doesn't seem safe, I guess a pseudonym is necessary," Naegi said.

"That's not it. Everything she said tonight was true. I was plain. I was friendless. Isolated. That's why I reinvented myself as Celestia Ludenberg. I tried so hard to erase Yasuhiro Taeko and that bitch was still able to find out about my past. If she could so can others. I am afraid. I don't want to be Taeko, I'm Celestia Ludenberg," Celes said as she started to tear up.

"I like them both," Naegi said simply.

"Huh?" Celes asked, tears still threatening to fall.

"I don't know if it's Celestia Ludenberg or Yasuhiro Taeko who has been my friend this whole time, but I've certainly appreciated it. I don't really stand out among all the Ultimates, but you've always made time to talk to me and whether it's because Celes-san wanted to tease me or Yasuhiro-san was feeling lonely, it doesn't really matter. I've appreciated it all the same," Naegi said.

By this time, Celes had hidden her face from Naegi and said, "I am not sure that you quite understand how ridiculous you just sounded." Naegi was about to respond to that before he saw a tear drop fall from Celes's cheek and heard her whisper, "Thank you, Naegi-kun."

Naegi smiled but decided not to comment, people didn't change instantly after all. Instead, he held out his arm and asked, "Shall I escort you home, Milady?" If being "Celestia Ludenberg" meant that much to Celes, he would play along.

"You may Good Sir," Celes said as she wrapped her arm around Naegi's and leaned against him. She was glad it was dark. It kept Naegi from seeing the blush on her cheeks.


Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm

Seventeenth Week of Classes-Sunday

Celes was glad that the day after the tournament was Sunday, she probably couldn't have focused on school today anyway. She had been thinking since last night. Naegi knew her secret so there was no need to put it off any longer. She was going to ask him now. She found him in the common area with his admirers, all of whom were listening to him talk about the events of the previous night.

"So that guy really does have a pet chicken?" Asahina asked.

"Yeah, he named her 'Colonel.' She's apparently his good luck charm," Naegi responded.

"Is anyone getting hungry for KFC hearing this story?" Owari asked.

"Oh, I believe the phrase to use here is, 'I see what you did there!'" Sonia said excitedly.

"No, I think she was serious," Koizumi said.

"A-are you alright, Naegi-kun? I-I've never had a patient that tripped over a chicken, but I'll try my best if you're injured," Tsumiki said.

"I'm fine Tsumiki-senpai," Naegi assured her.

"Which is amazing considering you spent the night participating in an underground poker tournament," Ikusaba commented.

"I didn't want to insult Kuzuryuu-senpai," Naegi defended.

"Oh, Hiyoko-chan does that all the time," Mioda interjected.

"Not what he meant. And I'm getting better," Saionji told Mioda with a pout.

Celes decided to take her chance now while the other girls seemed distracted. "Umm... Naegi Makoto-san?"

"Celes-san? What's with the formality?" Naegi asked. He was shocked that she was acting so timid.

"Well... you see... I was hoping we could talk. Just the two of us," Celes explained. She then asked, "Could you come to my room, please?"

"Y-Your room!?" Maizono exclaimed, not liking where this was going.

Celes ignored her and said, "I will be waiting." Celes left the common area to wait in her room, leaving Naegi and the girls to wonder what it is she wanted. Although the girls had a pretty good idea, Naegi had a more innocent idea of why Celes wanted to talk to him.

"I guess she wants to talk about last night," Naegi said. This probably has to do with her secret, he thought as he got up and followed Celes.

Maizono felt a headache coming on before she sighed and said, "This is getting out of hand." The other girls agreed, but they knew that they wouldn't want Naegi to ever change.


Naegi reached Celes's room quickly enough and knocked on her door. She opened it right away and said, "I'm glad you came, Naegi-kun."

Naegi scanned the room and saw Victorian-style clothes, decks of cards, what looked to be a suit with plastic vampire fangs next to it (he figured it was best not to ask), and a rather fat cat. It had a dopey look on its face but Naegi didn't say that. "I didn't know you had a cat, Celes-san."

"Yes, that is Grand Bois Chéri Ludenberg. He is my constant companion. He's been quite taken with this room since we arrived at Hope's Peak Academy," Celes explained.

Naegi nodded and then asked about why he was in Celes's room, "Anyway what's going on? Why'd you ask me to come here?"

Celes took a deep breath and said, "I received the results."

Naegi was confused. "Results?"

"The child growing in my belly... It's yours," Celes answered.

Naegi's deadpan expression showed that he was not amused.

Celes saw that her little joke fell flat but decided to keep going, "Wait, sorry. Wrong results." Celes then said, "Congratulations! You have moved up a rank! You are now C-rank."

"Huh? C-rank?" Naegi asked. He couldn't tell if Celes was still playing around or not.

"Oh, I have a habit of ranking those around me," Celes explained.

That didn't exactly clear things up. "What kind of habit is that?" Naegi asked.

Celes began to explain. "The most common is D-rank. I have no interest in D-rank. Most everyone at this school fits into that category."

Naegi thought that sounded kind of mean, but he nodded. At least Celes was beginning to make sense.

Celes continued, "The worst is F-rank. If you're F-rank... Well, I pay a special organization to have you killed. Your very existence is unforgivable."

I doubt that. At least the organization part. Although the Russian roulette mahjong story was real, so maybe I should just be grateful I'll never find out if she's telling the truth or not, Naegi thought.

"Conversely, the very best is A-rank. But among everyone I have met, across all countries, I have never found a B-rank, let alone A-rank. So, you being promoted to C-rank is a very great honor," Celes said happily.

"I see," Naegi said. He didn't really, but he was hoping he would soon.

Continuing her explanation, Celes said, "Also, when you become a C-rank, you gain the right to become my official servant—a knight."

"Wow, I had no idea," Naegi said. That was true, he doubted anyone would ever have expected any of what Celes was telling him.

"I have knights all across the world. They are all quite obedient. I recommend you take me up on this offer. If you do your very best as a knight, becoming the first B-rank may be well within your grasp. Perhaps even... A-rank. I can't be sure, but I feel like you may have the potential," Celes explained.

Naegi couldn't be sure but he had a feeling that he was beginning to understand what it was Celes wanted from him.

"Hmhm. So, as a knight, please be prepared to give your life for me," Celes said. It almost sounded like she was pleading.

The meaning in Celes's words was clear to Naegi. "Please stay by my side." If being "Celestia Ludenberg" means so much to her, I'll play along. Maybe she can learn to love "Yasuhiro Taeko" one day too. Then maybe we can truly understand each other one day, Naegi thought. Deciding to play along, Naegi knelt down and took Celes's hand and said, "Lady Celestia Ludenberg, I swear on my life to stay by your side as your knight. From now until the day I die, whenever you find yourself in need, I shall answer your call."

Celes didn't expect Naegi to play along but was actually happy that he was. Teasing him was more fun when he could give as good as he got. More than that, she had a warm feeling in her chest when he swore to stay by her side. Celes gained a knight, but Taeko gained a true friend. Perhaps he would be more than that one day. "Your oath is…acceptable. Now rise. You may take your leave when you are ready," Celes ordered. As Naegi rose, Celes thought, You may be closer to B-rank than I initially believed.

Celes followed Naegi out the door and said, "Work hard and you may get that promotion sooner than you think."

"I look forward to it Celes-san," Naegi said as he left finally breaking character. Playing along with Celes was fun but he couldn't do it all day.

Celes heard movement behind her and turned to see her competition. "Aiming for the big prize, ladies? Come to admit defeat? Or maybe hedge your bets?"


Present Day

And of course, Sonia-senpai seriously suggested the third option. But whether it is money or love, I play to win, Celes thought as she and Naegi caught up with Grand Bois Chéri Ludenberg near the part of the school grounds that had been allocated for Tanaka's animals.

"Why would he bring that gyoza here?" Naegi asked as he and Celes came to a stop.

Celes shrugged showing she was as confused as Naegi. The two saw the large cat enter one of the many shelters and followed. Inside they saw Grand Bois Chéri Ludenberg along with another cat and…

"Pekoyama-senpai?" Naegi asked.

"Naegi-kun? Celes-san?" Pekoyama asked as she noticed their presence. Whatever was going on must have been important for them to be able to sneak up on the Ultimate Swordwoman.

"Is that Miyabi? Is she alright?" Celes asked.

"She's about to have kittens. Grand Bois Chéri Ludenberg is just looking out for her and their babies," Pekoyama explained.

Celes managed to keep from gushing while Naegi just smiled. Peko had come a long way in a short amount of time. I can tell that she's still hurting, but she's getting there, he thought as he saw Miyabi rub her head against Pekoyama's hand.

Pekoyama was ecstatic but kept herself composed. When the school year had started, she never would have thought she would be doing something like this with adorable cats. It wasn't that long ago that animals feared her. Even though she didn't get to this point without pain and loss, she had gained enough that a balance of sorts had been struck. She turned to Naegi and thought, You showed me that I could keep going when I thought I had nothing left. That I had value. That I was more than just a weapon. Thank you so much, Naegi-kun.


And that's a wrap for now. I hope you liked it.

This was a hard chapter to write, nothing about Celes is straightforward and her Free Time Events give almost nothing to work with. I ended up using parts of the manga and I don't even know if the DR1 manga is considered canon.

Told you I would consider bringing Cayde back in this chapter. The Drifter was a spur of the moment decision, and probably a sign that I'm happy about Shadowkeep, which I am. I needed a host and he was the first one that popped into my head. And of course, I couldn't forget about every guardian's favorite hen, Colonel.

So yeah, what started as an idea where Naegi helped salvage a disastrous night at a yakuza sponsored poker tournament ended with Naegi and Colonel salvaging a disastrous night at a yakuza sponsored poker tournament where Celes had to face the fact that she would always be Taeko. Add Naegi showing her that Celes and Taeko don't need to be two different people and you have this chapter.

I was going to make Fake Taeko (Faeko?) be a full blown weeaboo but couldn't do it. So, I just did her introduction and left it at that. Translation below for the curious:

"Hajimemashite." This translates to "Nice to meet you."

"Watashi no namae wa _ desu." (wah-TAH-shee no nah-MAH-eh wah _ dess). It means "My name is _." If you're using your full name, say your surname first.

"Yoroshiku onegaishimasu." Pronounce it (yor-OH-she-koo oh-nay-guy-ee-shee-mass). This translates roughly to "Please be nice to me."

Now for the part you probably won't like, I'm going to take a break until January 2020. I'm just not going to have the free time I would like to work on this story until then. So, I hope you can all wait until then for Peko's chapter.

Until then, read and review and I'll see you later.