"Well, this should be a most interesting interaction," Nagito said glibly, leaning back in his chair and inspecting his nails. There were two other seats at the table. One was for Makoto Naegi, the Ultimate Lucky Student of another class. The third was for Miyu Sakurada, a student in the newest, youngest class of Hope's Peak Academy. She transferred in from Arisugawa Academy, where she'd stayed up until the end of middle school. Her story regarding how she'd come to Hope's Peak was a very interesting one indeed.
ULSs were always chosen via raffle, and Miyu managed to both win and lose. It was befitting of someone who might've been an ULS herself. Both she and someone else were somehow chose in the raffle, because of that, the board needed to decide who between them would win the honor of being accepted into Hope's Peak.
"You should've been chosen right away," Haruna, the Ultimate Chairman, said grimly, shaking her head, hands on her hips. She was another transfer from Arisugawa Academy, along with two others.
"Well, isn't that just how luck works?" Miyu gave her a knowing smile, tilting her head. "It was literally luck of the draw because it was a raffle."
"But you still won!" Kurumi, the Ultimate Prankster, pointed out. If anything, the fact that it was a draw should've pointed to Miyu's immense luck. Even if the luck itself felt neutral, the odds of hitting a tie in the Hope's Peak raffle were so astronomical that only an ULS could've done it, even if it wasn't done intentional by either of the two would-be ULSs.
"Yeah, Miiko thinks you should play cards against them and show them just how lucky you are!" The Ultimate Horror Enthusiast cried.
Hmm… Now there was an idea… Even though, to some extent, luck was a force beyond anyone's control, sometimes it could be influenced, and cards had always been Miyu's forte. It didn't matter what she played, or who against, she always won every single game. And even the one time she lost, she'd actually wanted to lose, so it seemed as if she really did have some subconscious control over her luck, even if she hadn't realized it then.
"Yeah, you could always apply at the Ultimate Lucky Cardplayer if ULS doesn't work!" Kurumi snickered. "Besides, if you do manage to do this, it will definitely cement your title as ULS since you'll be getting in even after almost being rejected!"
"I'm sure Kurumi and Miiko can also just prank the board if you need extra help!" Miiko offered brightly.
"But then I'd be using Kurumi's Talent rather than mine," Miyu smiled and shook her head.
"Besides, that's dishonorable!" Haruna waggled her finger. "Miyu would never cheat like that! She wins on her own merit because she's a hard, fair, and honest worker!" she cried. This was true, but Miyu looked away, blushing, flattered by Haruna's high opinion of her.
"Jeez, Chairman, you've only gotten worse ever since discovering your Talent," Kurumi shook her head and sighed.
"Who are you calling Chairman?!" Haruna shot back. "It may be my Talent, but it is not my name or my role!"
With a plan in motion, when her day of reckoning finally came, Miyu faced off against the entire board of Hope's Peak Academy in any and every card game they wanted, and she won every single time. She finally went against the boy who had also won the raffle. She won against him just as easily as she won against all of the board.
"I'm sorry!" Miyu cried as she showed her winning hand.
"Eh, just luck of the draw, I guess," the boy said, but it was clear he was devastated and furious at missing his chance to attend Hope's Peak. "Maybe next year," he sighed, although he didn't sound too certain.
Now here Miyu sat, about to play against the other ULSs of Hope's Peak. They were all keen to see if Miyu's Talent could stand up to theirs since they were actual ULSs. The other boy, technically, had never been fully accepted in.
"I, too, am most interested to meet this Ultimate Cardplayer," a new voice agreed. Everyone turned to see Celestia Ludenberg standing in the doorway of the academy cafeteria. Of course, she of all people would sense all the luck in the air and come running.
"What's your Talent?" Miyu asked as she approached the table.
"Gambler," Celeste replied with a mischievous smile. "I hope to play cards with you, too, someday. I never lose either!"
"Gambler?" At the same time, Haruna almost shot her a disapproving look. It wasn't exactly the most moral Talent…
Celeste noticed the way Haruna was looking at her and smirked. Even though Haruna was quick to try to control her expression, Celeste was quicker. As a gambler, she was an ace when it came to reading people and lies.
She is exactly like Taka, much too honest and emotional for her own good. She would never win in a battle of wits, psychology, and deception. She chuckled delicately before turning to the other two transfer students. They seemed far more interested in her than Haruna was.
"Care to place a bet?" she grinned wolfishly at Kurumi and Miiko.
"Absolutely not!" Haruna cried, trying to step protectively in front of her. Celeste only gave her a sickeningly sweet smile.
"Come now, Chairman!" she was practically sneering. "I am simply honing my Talent! Surely you will not deny me that?"
"Who are you calling Chairman?!" Haruna snapped. "Besides, this is how I exercise my Talent as a member of the Disciplinary Committee!"
"Ah, a fiery girl!" Celeste raised her eyebrows and giggled again. "I like that!"
"Whu?!" Haruna suddenly looked confounded and flustered. Celeste giggled for a third time. Haruna was too easy to read! Like Taka, she was too quick to lash out and too honest to lie. Messing with her was just as fun as messing with him!
But while Celeste continued to tease Haruna, reminding Haruna of an older and more gothic version of Kurumi, the card game of Ultimate Luck began! Miyu was first up, setting down an eight. It wasn't a bad start! Maybe that was her Talent coming into play?
"Nice!" Makoto smiled at her and she smiled back. If Haruna was Taka, Miyu was Makoto. Both of them were far too polite and friendly for their own good. Such shy, sheepish, humble little things! Always more concerned about everyone else's happiness than anything else. Even though they were rivals, they were so kind and apologetic to one another. It amused Celeste to no end.
"I'll raise you one of these," Nagito interjected with a sly smile. Unlike the other two ULSs, he wasn't quite as genuine or innocent. He could also be very polite, formal, and mild-mannered, but there was always a hidden edge, another meaning, to everything he said. He was like a cloak and dagger in human form, laying down a card higher than Miyu's. Miyu's luck was turning in Nagito's favor, but the game was still young.
As the minutes passed, the trio continued to place cards and take them as the round determined. All along, while Nagito said little, Makoto and Miyu constantly gave one another warm encouragements and compliments.
"Ahhh, it is so good to see such wonderful, brilliant Ultimates getting along so well!" Nagito finally said at one point. "To watch you both build up your Hopes together, feeding off of another to reach even greater heights, is truly a gift that I feel so lucky and privileged to witness firsthand! That is the true spirit of Hope's Peak, and what every Ultimate should strive for! Well done, both of you!" he sounded in ecstasy.
"Uhhh, what the heck is he talking about?" Kurumi leaned over to Miiko, but Miiko only shrugged in reply.
"Umm, Nagito, forgive me, but… it's your turn," Miyu said politely.
"Ah, and so it is." Nagito's dreamy expression switched back to one of the utmost cunning.
Celeste was…a little impressed. She could not tell, was he truly this good of an actor, of one who spread chaos and confusion? Or was he just a little unhinged? Perhaps it was both, perhaps both was necessary. Celeste could understand. It was useful to be as unpredictable as luck itself.
The game carried on for another 15 minutes and, eventually, it seemed as though it would end in a draw.
"Just our luck, huh?" Makoto joked. But then finally, someone broke the cycle.
"Huh?!" Nagito's card was fairly high, but Makoto's was just a little higher. What rotten luck!
"Sorry, Nagito!" Makoto looked apologetic as he took Nagito's card.
"No, don't apologize!" Nagito cried, raising his hands. "You won fair and square and proved your Talent is far superior than mine! Although, mine is hardly worth being compared to yours… You should be proud of that, Makoto! It shows just how strong your Hope is! Oh, but for someone whose Talent is as wonderful as yours to still apologize to someone as lowly and undeserving as me…?"
"But they have the same Talent?" For a second time, Kurumi leaned over to Miiko. Miiko only shrugged again. This guy was weird. What was he even going on about? Kurumi couldn't help but look forward to getting the chance to prank him. How would he react?
Turning back to the game, though, it seemed as though Nagito's luck had finally run out, permanently. His first loss to Makoto was just the start of a downward spiral, and before long…
"Oh, no, Nagito! I think that means you're out!" Miyu sighed sympathetically as she held up another very high card.
"Oh, would you look at that, you're right!" he sounded almost cheerful as he revealed his last card, a two. So, his odds of winning against Miyu that round were nearly impossible even before he showed his card. What rotten luck!
"That's just the luck of the draw," Celeste shrugged, the least sympathetic of the group. "Sometimes Lady Luck is a cruel mistress, and she will turn on you when you least expect it, taking everything you gained and more in one fell swoop! As Nagito has just found out," she smirked a little. Nagito, however, took it all in stride. He leaned back in his chair, seemingly unbothered.
"I am much happier to simply watch you two Ultimates finish the battle!" he gestured to Makoto and Miyu.
"Oh, here we go again," Kurumi sighed and rolled her eyes. She could already tell where this was going…
He spent the next couple minutes extoling Makoto and Miyu's virtues again, commending their valiant efforts in their epic battle to decide whose Hope, Luck, and Talent were superior.
"And yet, even now, you two continue to build one another up! Your Hope will surely reach its highest peak soon, which will only make it all the more thrilling when only one of you can come out on top! Who will it be, I wonder? Whose Hope will outshine the other's? Ohhh, it's giving me chills just to imagine it!" He hugged himself, looking a little loopy in the eyes as he grinned from ear to ear.
"This is even worse than when Chairman starts going on and on about Miyu," Kurumi whispered, and she and Miiko started to laugh.
"Hey! I'm not this bad!... Am I?" Haruna suddenly looked uncertain and embarrassed. All the while, Makoto and Miyu continued their game.
Celeste watched closely, making constant calculations in order to estimate who would win. She actually placed her bet on Miyu rather than Makoto. Perhaps that sounded a little cruel, but like Miss Fortune herself, Celeste didn't care much for loyalty. The winds of change and chance bowed to no one, so neither would she. Granted, she knew luck could change its hand and its favor at the last second, but she had good reason to think that Miyu was going to win. It was nothing against Makoto. Even though Miyu was the younger, newer ULS, her luck still seemed steadier. Perhaps it was risky for Celeste to bank on luck staying stable, but Celeste was risk incarnate. It was a gambit she was willing to try.
And from what she'd analyzed so far, not only did Miyu seem to have a thing for cards, but her subconscious control over her luck seemed slightly better than Makoto's. Sure, the point of subconscious control was that neither of them knew fully how to weaponize their Talent, but another thing Celeste's analysis told her was that Makoto's luck was even more unpredictable than Miyu's. The only time it held steady was when his life was in danger. That was certainly not the case in a card game. There was also one more factor Celeste was counting on, but only time would tell if she'd played her own hand well enough…
"YOU DID IT, MIYU, YOU WON!" Haruna was the first to celebrate, looking like a fool as she jumped around and hugged Miyu from behind. Once again, Celeste was struck by how much she resembled Taka, and how excited he could get over Mondo.
"Awww," Kurumi and Miiko both bowed their heads in disappointment as they handed over their money to Celeste. "How did you know?!"
"I told you two not to gamble!" Haruna called out over to them. "It's not just the immortality issue, you were going against the Ultimate Gambler!"
"I didn't know," Celeste replied coolly. "It was just luck of the draw!" But she could tell from the way the other two were looking at her that they didn't buy it. Hmm, clever girls…Kurumi in particular seemed sharper than she let on, an angel hiding a devil, much like Celeste herself.
At the same time, Miyu and Makoto were congratulating each other warmly on a game well played.
"You did incredibly, Miyu!" Makoto cried.
"Yeah, it was so close that I was really scared there in the last few turns!" Miyu laughed, breathless. That left Nagito.
Like Celeste, he was quiet, but he looked satisfied, as though he'd won in his own way, and perhaps he had…This was the final factor, the last luck, that Celeste was betting on. She could read people better than books, so she could read even Nagito's sly and subtle expressions. As was the case for Miyu and Makoto, Celeste's analysis told her that Nagito's luck also followed its own set of rules.
Makoto's seemed to work best when his life was in peril, perhaps mirroring the fact that he otherwise saw himself as a normal student and did not want to do anything that would've given him what he considered an unfair advantage. Miyu's luck, meanwhile, seemed the most active in games, particularly cards. Perhaps that mirrored her own desire simply to see everyone having fun and getting along?
In the same vein, Nagito's luck seemed to mirror his fluctuating personality. It seemed to work in an exchange patter. For every bout of good luck he had, bad luck would follow. Celeste could tell by his face during the game that he was banking on that unspoken rule, too. Even though she didn't know why, it seemed as though he wanted Miyu to win. Had he intentionally sabotaged his luck in the climax of the game so she would?
It was similar to what Miyu did in her own card game from years ago, although she hadn't manipulated her luck on purpose. In any case, though, this was Celeste's ultimate gambit, and it paid off in full. So did that mean that Nagito had the strongest luck of all? Or at least, the easiest to control, strange as that sounded? It was hard for her to tell, but she was spot-on in her guess about his motivation.
All along, Nagito's ultimate goal in the game was to produce as much Hope as possible. The way he saw it, the best way to do that was to have Makoto seem like he was winning at first (this was when Nagito's luck took its first downward turn), but then have Miyu come up from behind and steal the trophy for herself. What better way to inspire Hope than to have the new kid and the underdog be the winner?
And even more than that, from what he analyzed on the way Makoto and Miyu interacted, the best way to bolster Makoto's Hope was to have Miyu win, because then it would only motivate him to polish his own luck and Talent even further. It was a win-win situation and Nagito came out feeling like a winner, too. Miyu had proven her worth, Makoto was motived to sharpen his already incredible skills, Nagito was satisfied.
"If you three aren't too tired out, would you care for another round?" Celeste asked. She hadn't planned on challenging them so soon, but the luck in the air was crackling like electricity and she simply had to strike the iron while it was hot!
"Of course, we would love for you to join!" Miyu and Makoto were both so earnest and friendly as they grabbed a fourth chair for her.
"Would anyone else want to join in?" Miyu asked her classmates, but they all shook their heads, frightened. There was way too much luck at that one table, and they were sure they'd all be eliminated one card in.
Wise decision, Celeste thought with a smirk. She wanted this game to be between herself and the ULSs, so she absolutely would've tried to manipulate her own luck such that the other three were quickly eliminated. It was nice they were backing out while they were still ahead, that made her job much easier! So she took a seat at the table, shuffling the deck.
"May the luckiest student win," she said with an unreadable smile, then she let the games begin!
AN: TFW you watch Miyu's story events and every single one involving cards ends with her winning, LOL. Also if anyone has any ideas on what the other D4 students' Talents would be, leave a comment below! I'm curious.