A/N: Hello everyone and welcome to a new chapter of The End of Hope's Peak Academy. This chapter is merely filler, I will get to some plot related events in the next chapter, so don't worry. Since this is a prequel, there is going to be a lot of filler, but near the end it will start leading into bigger better events. For now, just enjoy the ride. Also, I don't know why, but for the last few chapters I've been using one word titles. I guess it makes it a little easier for me as I'll be focusing on one thing over all while developing characters. some have gotten more development than others, and I'll remedy that soon enough. I was also debating on putting Daisuke through a relationship, though that would only make Hiyoko jealous which would make her do more pranks in order to get Daisuke's attention. I haven't decided which girls he would go for before finally settling with Hiyoko, though Celeste will be the first one. I was thinking of adding Peko in there too, though it would be more of an unrequitted love because she only has an interest for Fuyuhiko, and that would make rejection that much more painful for him.
Also, for all of those saying, When the fuck is someone going to die? I'll be happy to let you know that in the next few chapters, someone will die, and no it won't be Natsumi, I won't reveal too much of the plot. Also, if you have any ideas for chapters, like maybe another detention chapter or something along those lines, please let me know, I'm open to suggestions, just be aware that these will most likely be filler chapters to bide time until the true events start happening. Which how things are going, the whole Nagito blowing up the Gym thing won't be happening until at least chapter eleven or twelve. Also, if you want me to toss in random things in there, shoot off some ideas, I'm gonna make it a trend to have Tanaka with some rare animal that shouldn't be anywhere in the academy, or Kazuichi building something stupid, kind of like Clemont from Pokemon does every episode, except it will serve some purpose.
Although I will be devoting my focus into this story, I will also be trying to work on a few other things. I was planning on doing a one shot, RWBY x Danganronpa story, where all of the students would be trapped within Beacon Academy, but aside from Yang, who would be the Super Highschool Level Fighter, Weiss who would be the Super Highschool Level Heiress, and Jaune who would be the Super Highschool Level Lucky Student, i don't have an idea on the other's titles. I was thinking of making Blake the Super Highschool Level Cat Whisperer, and she would be wearing cat ears all the time, so that would be a thing, but for now, I have no idea how that will go, or if it will even be a thing. There was also talk between me and one of my friends about a one shot anime crossover x Danganronpa, where i would take one character from some of my favorite animes and put them through a class trial, but again no dice. Still, those are ideas I could use for later.
Enough rambling, the Dark Lord of Ice Gundam Tanaka wishes this chapter be posted, and so it shall.
The End of Hope's Peak Academy
Zetzubou-Hen
Chapter 8
Gambling
After spending a few days sick in bed, Daisuke wasn't expecting to be thrust into another dilemma, though this one wasn't school related, for the first time in forever. No, this was father related.
Ryusuke Fuji, that was the name of his deadbeat father.
A businessman in his own right, Ryusuke was able to turn anything into a business deal. He had met his mother at some resort in Spain, and had decided to marry her on a whim. That relationship of course produced himself, and his little sister. However, it seemed as if the three of them had become too high maintenance for him, so he not only bailed on them while he was still nine years old, but he tossed them into the street, with literally nothing but the clothes on their backs. For two years, they had lived on the streets, surviving through the skin of their teeth, and of course the meals that he and his sister got at school. The shelter wasn't fun either. At least their grandmother had been kind enough to let them stay in her Summer home until they could get tickets to Spain. It was the hardest point in his life.
He had honestly thought the man wanted nothing to do with him. Whenever he requested to see his children, all he did was insult them. He insulted Erika for her fashion sense and her dream of being a designer, and he insulted his talent for story telling. Time after time again, he would always insult Daisuke for his stories, no matter how well written they were and no matter how many audio books he sold. Reading stories wasn't a talent, at least to him.
Which had brought him to complete shock when he told him that he had been selected to be in class 77 of Hope's Peak Academy. The man didn't believe it, but when Daisuke showed up at his front door in his Hope's Peak Academy uniform, the man just accepted it.
And that of course brought him to his current situation. He had been invited to a formal dinner with his other family, Ryuji's mother and his little sisters. While he and the oldest of the kids got along, Cameron and Megan absolutely detested him, for what reason he didn't know.
Tami-Lynn however was nothing like he had expected. She was a beautiful woman, with long blonde hair reaching down to her shoulders. She had light colored skin, and bright hazel eyes. She wore black eye shadow on her eyes, and a bit of blush on her cheeks, making her look way younger than she actually was. When she had greeted him, he saw that she was wearing a tight beige dress, with some sequins on the sides. She was also wearing a matching pair of heels, her hair having been curled for the evening. He had expected her to be completely mean to him, but instead she welcomed him with open arms, hugged him tightly and even requested he call her mom, but only if he was comfortable with it. So far, she had been the nicest to him.
Cameron was the second oldest in the family, being his age. Seventeen. She had short brown hair, and light brown eyes. She was wearing a formal dress shirt, tucked into a knee length black skirt, along with white stockings, and brown flats. She had a lighter complexion to her mother, and wore no make up at all. The glare she gave him when he sat down at the table sent chills down his spine.
The last person, was of course the youngest, Megan being fourteen years old. Like her sister, she also had brown hair, but hers was rather long, reaching down to her lower back, though she had it up in twin tails, with bright red ribbons. She was wearing a shirt, similar to her sister's, only her's had short sleeves, and round black buttons on them. She was wearing a short blue skirt, with matching black stockings and formal dress shoes. She also wore a pair of thin glasses. Ryuji had told him that she was as blind as a bat without them. Daisuke then proceeded to educate him on the anatomy of a bat.
The final person was of course his father, Ryusuke Fuji. He was a man in his late thirties, with short black hair, slicked back with gel. He had a firm face, with dark eyes, shielded by a thin pair of glasses. He was wearing a bright blue suit, with a bold red tie held together with a golden stick pin. He wore matching blue slacks and black oxford shoes. The man carried an air of perfection around him, he had a certain way of thinking and a certain way of doing things, and if they weren't following his way, then it was useless to him.
All of them found themselves at the dinner table, in what Daisuke could call the most awkward dinner he has ever had. The sound of silverware and plates was the only thing he heard for the last ten minutes, and he couldn't bring himself to say anything, other than answering a wayward question from his older brother. He looked at the clock on the other side of the room, hoping these two hours would just fly by, but he had in fact only been there for about half an hour. The agonizing feeling of having to wait even longer really filled him with dread.
"So, how are thing's at school son?" Ryusuke asked, his voice firm and emotionless. Daisuke knew he was just making conversation, the gestures from Tami-Lynn hadn't been so subtle.
"It's...it's going good dad." he said simply, shoving another forkful of rice into his mouth.
"Good? You are attending Hope's Peak Academy, it can't simply be good." the man said.
"Pfft, I still don't know how a talentless loser like you made it into the academy." Cameron said.
"Cammy, don't be mean to your little brother." Tami-Lynn said, glaring at her daughter.
"He's not my brother, I'll never see him as such." she said, crossing her arms. Daisuke grit his teeth, the glare on his face was so intense he could melt steel beams with it. Ryuji cleared his throat.
"I heard the Ultimate students there don't have to attend class, is that really true?" he asked.
"Yes it is. As long as you pass the final exams in every class you have, you move onto the next year. You don't have to show up at all if you don't want too. However, I've been showing up every day just to be with my classmates. Their all wonderful people." he said, a smile on his face.
"I see you still carter that thing everywhere you go. I'm assuming you got into the academy with that useless talent correct?" Ryusuke asked, gesturing to his messenger bag.
"It's not useless. Story Telling is an official talent, after all the Steering Committee wouldn't have let me in if it wasn't." he said firmly.
"It goes to show just how far the academy has come since Kazuo Tengan stepped down. Even now they let regulars in by mere luck, a useless talent in it's own right." the man said.
"I'll have you know, Ultimate Luck is nothing to take lightly. My friend Nagito is the Ultimate Lucky Student, and that man can work miracles. He found four hundred golden coins from the Muromachi Period of Japan, valued at several million yen, each. His luck is nothing to make fun of." he said firmly. If there was one thing he hated, it was when one of his friends got insulted.
"Please, by those standards than anyone can get into the academy. Who knows, maybe I can get enough luck to win that lottery." Cameron said.
"Yeah, with your luck you'll probably get scouted for the Ultimate Unlucky Student title." Daisuke thought, inwardly laughing at his own joke.
"So Dais, how's that babe you brought to the police station the other day doing? You hittin it yet?" Ryuji asked.
"Ryuji, please don't talk like that at the dinner table." Tami-Lynn snapped, causing her son to chuckle. Daisuke rolled his eyes.
"No big brother, me and Ibuki are just friends. She doesn't even want a relationship with anyone, she values friendship over everything else. And like she said, she's a lesbian." he said.
"So now you associate yourself with people who engage with the same sex?" Ryusuke asked firmly.
"What's it to you if I do? I have a lesbian friend, whoop-de-doo, I'm not gonna suddenly start liking dick because of what her sexual preference is." he said, taking a sip of his water.
"How uncouth, I didn't think a person could talk like that." Cameron said, making Daisuke chuckle.
"Oh trust me sister dearest, I've learned tons more on the streets than you will in that fancy private school you go too. An all girl's school right? Hmm, don't knock it till you try it." he said, wiggling his brows.
"That's enough son. Show some respect to your sisters." Ryusuke snapped, making the teen cross his arms.
"Daisuke sweetie, is there anything else that you do at school? I heard you got scouted for two talents, what was the second one?" Tami-Lynn asked, a curious look on her face. He gave her a smile.
"I was scouted to be the Ultimate Vocalist. However if I did accept that title I would have been placed in class 78 with Sayaka Maizono, and I honestly feel like I would only live under her shadow. She's an international Pop Icon, I'm just..me...so that's why I went with my favorite talent. With Story Telling, you not only get a sense of what you want to do, but you can also write what you feel, right from your heart, and if you do it right, you can stir the emotions of the crowd. By controlling your voice and the tone of each word, you can paint a picture in their minds, something that not a lot of people can do." he said, a smile on his face.
"Wow, I never thought of it that way." the woman replied.
"Do you...know Sayaka Maizono?" Megan asked curiously. He nodded, pulling out his cellphone from his bag. He flipped through his pictures, showing him one he had taken with the Pop Sensation.
"She's the sweetest person I've ever met. You would think fame would warp her mind, but not at all. She donates all her money to charity, and even goes to the local schools to help the kids with their school work. Just today, she was at Hope's Peak Elementary helping out a group of troubled children with their homework." he said.
"Can...can you get her to sign something for me?" Megan asked shyly. He smiled, giving her a nod.
"Sure thing, anything you want." he said, closing his phone. The brown haired girl took off from the table, racing toward the stairwell.
"Uh...well then. I didn't think you would know someone so famous Daisuke." Tami-Lynn said.
"Yeah, we met in detention actually, detention that Ryuji got me, for getting arrested." he said, glaring at the black haired teen.
"Hehe, I still owe you for that." he said, making the teen's glare harden even more.
"Son, perhaps you should be focusing on your studies instead of hanging around famous pop idols. People like that will mess up your mentality. That girl may be popular now, but in a few years she'll be nothing but a drug addict begging to quit." Ryusuke said.
"Dude, don't insult Sayaka like that. She would never do that." Daisuke said, slamming his fist against the table, rattling the dishes set on top of it. The man didn't even look phased.
"Sweetheart, maybe you shouldn't work him up so much." Tami-Lynn whispered.
"Excuse me, but I just want my son to be a hard working man in the future, not some Fairy tale story book writer!" the man snapped.
"Like you even care what I do with my life. You didn't care about me or Erika when you tossed us into the street eight years ago." Daisuke muttered, taking a sip from his glass.
"Have you even listened to his stories dad? They are amazing, just like he said, you can see everything in your head. Give them a listen to some time...I assure you, you'll love them." Ryuji said.
"Please, I haven't the time to listen to some audio book, not when I have so much work to handle." the man said. Daisuke frowned, if only this last hour could fly back. Megan returned, holding a CD in her hands, along with a calender and what looked to be a light blue phone case. She handed them to Daisuke, a small smile on her face.
"If you get these signed by her, then I'll accept you as my older brother." she said.
"No problem...hmm, I got any idea." he said, grabbing his phone. He dialed a number and held it to his ear.
"Hi, Sayaka speaking!"
"Hey, I'm not bothering you am I?" he asked.
"Not at all Dais, I actually got detention again, don't tell anyone. Kizakura is sleeping again so we can do whatever. Do you need something?"
"I have someone here who's a really big fan, would you mind talking to her?" he said. Megan's face lit up like a Christmas tree, and she started panting a bit.
"Of course, I always have time for my fans!"
"Here you go, have fun." he said, handing off his phone. Megan squealed a bit as she started talking into the phone. Tami-Lynn smiled.
"Thank you Daisuke, you've made her really happy." she said.
"Anything for my little sister. Oh yeah, I talked to Kazuichi about that broken Garbage Disposal, he said he would take a look at it this weekend. He'll have it fixed in no time." he said.
"Great! That thing's been broken for generations, it's about time it gets fixed." she joked, making him laugh a bit.
"Well, I'm going to cut this short. My associates from work and I are going to be having our normal Poker night in a few minutes, so I can't hang around here for to long. Thanks for dinner sweetheart, it was delicious. And Daisuke, good of you to come...and please think about what I said about giving up that silly talent." the man said, turning around and walking out of the dining room. Cameron followed suit, not even bothering to say anything.
"Fucking Shit!" Daisuke snapped, almost breaking the glass he was holding onto. Ryuji frowned a bit, poking at his broccoli.
"I'm sorry sweetie. I've told him to stop doing that to you, but it seems he's only making it worse." Tami-Lynn said, a frown on her face.
"It's alright Tami...I mean mom...I'm used to it." he replied. The blonde woman felt a bit giddy when she heard him call her mom, something that made Ryuji chuckle a bit. Daisuke stood up, and gathered all of the dinner plates.
"Well, I might as well take care of all this, it's the least I could do." he said.
"Oh no, you are our guest. I'll take care of it." his older brother said, taking the plates from his hands.
"But it feels wrong. I'm family too, so I wanna help."
"Nope. You just chill out, let your big bro handle this." he said with a wink. Daisuke shrugged, picking up the items Megan had given him, he placed them carefully in his bag. He caught a brief bit of the conversation his father was having on the phone, a small smirk working it's way onto his face.
"Hey Mom, does Dad have a poker night here every week?" he asked curiously.
"Hmm, he has one twice a week. Tonight is the first one, and he holds with associates from his company. Tomorrow he hosts another one, with the bosses of other mayor groups, including the Takarou Togami himself."
"You mean, the head of the Togami Conglomerate?" he asked curiously, earning a nod from the woman.
"Why yes, that's him alright. He has several children, I believe one of them is currently in Hope's Peak Academy." She said.
"Yes, the Ultimate Affluent Progeny, Byakuya Togami...I've had the pleasure of meeting him." he said, his nose scrounging up a bit.
"That young man is a bit abrasive. He seems to get along with your father though, and they are always talking stocks. Why do you ask though?" she wondered curiously.
"I think I have a way to put my dad in his place, but I can't share that with you. Just tell my dad I'll be coming back tomorrow for dinner." he said, giving her a wink. Tami-Lynn seemed to be at a loss, but she just went on with it. Megan handed him his phone back, and gave him a tight hug for allowing her to speak to her favorite idol, before he left the house, a plan already working it's way into his mind.
Arriving back at the academy, he walked into his dorm, groaning a bit as he tossed his bag onto his bed, falling unceremoniously into it. He looked around the room briefly, before noticing that Sonia was in the room, not just her, but Tanaka was also there, a video camera in his hands, while she was holding a Bald Eagle on her arm. He looked at the two, mouth agape for a few seconds.
"Uh...am I...interrupting something?" he asked.
"Sort of...you see, Tanaka usually does this web show talking about various endangered species from around the world, and this week we were talking about the Bald Eagle." Sonia replied.
"I...I can see that. Wait...this week, you've done this before?" he asked.
"Mortal Human, how dare you insult the Dark Lord and his educational programming. This phoenix, a deadly creature in it's own right, deserves to be brought to attention, for it's magnificent..."
"Yeah, okay, I get it. I was just asking how many times you've done it." he deadpanned. He still had a hard time understanding Tanaka when he started his spiel about being the dark lord.
"We've done this six times already...were sort of live." Sonia admitted. His eyes widened a bit.
"I'm so sorry...I didn't think it was live...I'll just leave." he said, grabbing his bag. He walked out of the room, looking at the Eagle briefly before closing the door.
"How the hell did Tanaka even get permission to bring that thing in here?" he thought to himself, as he walked down the stairs. He started thinking back on his plan, smile making it's way onto his face.
"Well, since dad enjoys messing with me and what I love, I suppose I'll mess with him and what he loves. But for that...I'll need the help of a certain someone." he muttered to himself.
Nodding to himself, he walked toward the cafeteria, opening one of the large doors and walking into the large room. As opposed to in the morning, the afternoons and nights were actually toned down a bit. Several people still chose to eat here, but not as many as in the morning. He looked around, spotting several students of Class 78 eating dinner together, including the person he wanted to talk too. He dodged a few Upperclassmen as he made his way to their table.
"Daisuke, hey man. It's been awhile." Leon greeted, giving him wave.
"Yes it has, stay outta trouble lately?" he asked curiously.
"Hell yeah, detention ain't fun man. Sayaka and Makoto got into detention again though, for someone with the title of Ultimate Lucky Student, he's been having some bad luck lately." he joked.
"It's all a matter of perspective dude. My fortune told me he would get detention you know." the voice of Yasuhiro Hagakure said, as he looked at his crystal ball, his dreadlocks sticking in all directions.
"My ass, you are only right 30% of the time." Leon snapped.
"It becomes 420% when I'm high though." the man joked, a chuckle escaping his lips.
"So, didja come to hang out?" Leon asked.
"Not really, I came to talk to Celeste. Hope it's alright." he said, directing his focus to the Ultimate Gambler, who had finished another round of Solitaire.
"Of course not dear..what exactly do you require of me?" she asked curiously.
"How would you like to make some easy money?" he asked.
"Excuse me?" she asked, her eyes flashing with anger. He grit his teeth as Leon and Yasuhiro broke into laughter.
"Shit, that came out wrong. What I meant to say was, how you would like to beat several rich men in a game of poker?" he asked. Her eyes narrowed, but it seemed he had her intrigued.
"I'll hear what you have to say. Go ahead." she said, Daisuke's brows furrowed a bit. He had known the Gambler for awhile now, but he hadn't gotten used to that fake French accent of hers yet. Shaking it off, he decided to take a seat across from her, now that Leon and Yasuhiro were back to their own conversation.
"As you know, my father is a very wealthy businessman. He boasts about it all the time in fact. Today, he forced me to have dinner with his family, and he kept insulting me and my talent over and over again. I've had enough of him doing that, and when he said he was having a poker night with his associates, I got to thinking..."
"You want me to go to this poker game and beat all of them?" she said, finishing his statement.
"Something along those lines. One of his associates happens to be Byakuya Togami's father...and I know you don't get along with him." he said. Her eyes flashed a bit, as she adopted that sickly sweet smile of hers.
"You had my curiosity, but now you have my attention. What is your idea?"
"Well, this poker game is happening tomorrow night at my dad's house. My step mother Tami-Lynn told me that they hold it twice a week, but tomorrow's game is with the big bosses. I already invited myself in, but in order for it to fully work, you'll have to pose as my girlfriend." he said. Celeste's face hardened a bit, more than normal in fact. Daisuke had heard stories about her, how she had the most unreadable poker face anyone had ever seen, and she had the ability to lie to literally anyone, and they wouldn't be able to discern if it was the truth or not.
"Are you trying to earn a date from me? Because it's not working." she said firmly.
"Does it look like that's what I'm after? Celeste if I wanted to ask you on a date, I would do it outright. You are a beautiful girl in your own right, and I'm sure anyone would be privileged to date you. I just want to teach my dad a lesson, so he stops insulting my Ultimate Talent. I'm sick of him doing that, for nine years he's been doing that, and frankly I'm just tired." He said, leaning back in his seat. The young woman tapped her chin with her clawed finger, her black nail shining a bit in the light.
"Is there something else you are after? You just want to do this and nothing more?" she asked.
"Um...well...I sort of wanted one of the sport's cars that you won from the Steering Committee members." he said, a blush on his face.
"Alright, I suppose that's a fair trade, especially since it'll be with very rich, very influential men. With my tactics, they won't know what hit them, we have an accord...sweetheart." she said, giving him a wink.
"Oh uh...thanks...babe." he said. It was a bit awkward, but the girl seemed to be amused.
"It seems you need to be more refined in this. Have you ever dated anyone before?" she asked curiously.
"There was this one girl in my old high school...it only lasted about three months...she wasn't the best girl to be with, and I realized it too late." he said.
"So it seems you have little practice then. Alright then, I will allow you to court me this evening. We'll need to act and behave like a couple if you want to pass this off as a real relationship. This is a privilege when you think of it, it isn't every day the Ultimate Gambler gets to teach someone something new...perhaps you'll become a good gambler yourself." she said, giving him a sweet smile. He nodded and stood up.
"Alright then, where do you wanna go?" he asked.
"No no no dear, first you'll need to change out of that school uniform. You look forced in it, go to your room and change into something casual, I shall remain here and await your arrival." she said.
"I...can't do that. Lady Sonia and Tanaka are talking about eagles in my dorm, they even have a Bald Eagle in there." he said. Her brows furrowed a bit, and her eyes scanned him over, as if she was reading his body language.
"I see, Tanaka is the type to bring wild animals into the academy. It isn't the first time it's happened...I suppose what you are wearing is fine, but I wanted you to be relaxed." she said. Daisuke felt a pat on his shoulder, followed by a chuckle.
"If it's clothes you need, I got you. I got plenty of casual clothes that will fit you. Just follow me to my dorm and I'll get ya fitted." Leon said, a smirk on his face.
"Really? Thanks man, I owe ya."
"No man, this is something from me to you, we are friends now." he said, guiding him out of the cafeteria.
Meanwhile, in here dorm Hiyoko looked up from her computer screen, a shiver running down her spine. She felt a disturbance in the force, and she didn't know what it was, but she needed to figure out what it was. Daisuke came to mind for a brief second, and a smirk worked it's way onto her face.
"Um...Hiyoko...are you alright?" Mikan asked, looking up from her homework.
"Of course I am, I just have to go check on something." she said, closing her laptop. She stood up from her bed, putting on her wooden sandals. She brushed her kimono free of wrinkles, and reached behind her back to tighten her obi.
"You better not be thinking about pulling another prank. We're still mad about the last one you know." the nurse said, earning a glare from the short blonde.
"No one asked for your opinion Pig Barf! Now piss off, I got shit to do!" she snapped, grabbing her keys. She left the room a second later, making the nurse groan.
"This isn't good." she muttered, reaching into her apron. She pulled out her pink cellphone and shot a quick text to all of her classmates, giving them a head's up the Hurricane Hiyoko was about to hit land.
Making her way down to the Plaza, Hiyoko decided to stay out of sight for a few minutes in order to see who was around. Normally, everyone was either in their dorms in the afternoon's or up in the arcade on the third floor. For those that bothered to show up to school at least, so it was normal for the plaza to be relatively empty. But when she saw Daisuke and Leon walking out of the 78th class dorm area, she decided to make her move.
What caught her attention was the fact that the Ultimate Story Teller was no longer in his uniform like he had been earlier in the day. Now he was wearing a black shirt, with a bright red Z on it, along with one of Leon's spare white jacket's which reached just below his waist. He was also wearing a pair of black skinny jeans, with were ripped near the top, along with a matching silver studded belt. He was also wearing his favorite pair of boots, which he almost always had on nowadays. His hair was a bit spikier than normal, and he had a death grip on his messenger bag. Her eyes narrowed.
"What the hell is he doing?" she muttered to herself. Her jaw dropped when she saw him stop in front of Celestia Ludenberg, the Ultimate Gambler. She seemed to be looking him over for some reason, and she took his hand in her own. She couldn't believe it, Daisuke was going out on a date, with Celestia Ludenberg of all people. She didn't know why, but this made her blood boil. She was grinding her teeth together, her face contorted into pure anger as she watched the two leave the plaza. Once they were out of ear shot, she ran from her hiding spot and tackled Leon to the ground. The young baseball star cried from shock and surprise as the small blonde pinned him to the ground.
"You! What the hell are those two doing?!" she exclaimed.
"Jesus Christ, what the fuck is your issue Hiyoko?" he cried out.
"Answer my question damn it!" she said, slamming his head onto the ground.
"Gah...jeez their going on a date. Is that so wrong? Get offa me, this jacket is leather!" he cried, pushing the petite female off of himself. He stood up, brushing the dirt off his jacket as he walked off, clutching his head. The Ultimate Traditional Dancer huffed, crossing her arms.
"A date? Who would want to date that dork?" she muttered. Her eyes widened a bit, a smirk working it's way onto her adorable face. She stood up, dashing up the hall with practiced speed and grace that would make even Peko jealous.
"Well dear, you are doing fine. But you need to be more relaxed." Celeste said, earning a nod from Daisuke. The sun was starting to set, as the two of them headed to the Student Parking lot. He took a deep breath, loosening up a bit.
"Sorry, I'm a little nervous. I know this is a practice date and all but I don't want my dad to pick up on this bluff." he said.
"I assure you, they will not pick up a single thing. However, do you plan on being part of the game?" she asked curiously.
"I'll have too. It wouldn't make sense for me to go there and then have my girlfriend play the game. I have money to bet, I'm just not that good at poker." he said. She let out a small giggle.
"Then it seems I'll have to teach you how to play the game, or at least help you."
"You mean cheat? But isn't that wrong?" he asked.
"Dear, cheating is only wrong if you get caught. In the underground, everyone uses their own tactics to their advantage. For me, it was my luck, my cunning intellect and my silver tongue. It isn't hard for me to magically gain an ace in a winning hand. No one would doubt a beautiful young woman such as I, would they?"
"I suppose not...hey was that a lie?" he asked, earning a giggle from her.
"Perhaps, I'll let you decide." she said, giving him a wink. Finally, they reached the spot they had been walking toward. Three sport's cars sat side by side, their glossy paint glistening against the setting sun. however, the one he focused on was the one in the center.
A cherry red Ferrari 458 Convertible. The seats were a nice beige leather color, though they had special seat protectors on it, most likely so that the seats didn't lose their color. From knowledge, Daisuke knew that this particular model 4.5 L V8 engine, a horse power of 560 and got anywhere from 13 to 17 miles per gallon. His eyes brightened up quite a bit when he saw it, and Celeste couldn't help but laugh.
"I see you've made your selection." she said.
"Of course, Ferrari's are Italian hot rods. I always imagined owning one of these as a kid, I saw plenty of them during my time in Spain." he said. He heard the sound of keys and looked back, seeing the aforementioned objects in the Gambler's hand.
"Well, I suppose there's nothing wrong with a little joy ride. You are licensed right?" she asked. He nodded, flashing the card with his picture on it.
"It took a lot of lying, but I was able to allow me to legally drive here. Story Telling has it's benefits you know." he said, giving her a wink. She tossed him the keys, walking toward the passenger door. He walked toward the driver side, opening the door, unlocking the door for Celeste to get in. Neither of them noticed the blur that jumped into the back seat as the two of them settled in. Daisuke took his bag off, placing it in the back seat, noticing the blue tarp that had been laying on the floor.
"Uh...what's the tarp for?" he asked.
"That's to protect it from the snow and ice. You wouldn't want the pain to chip would you?" she asked.
"That's true. Well, anywhere specific you would like to go to?" he asked.
"Yes, I think our date needs a little zest. Do you know where the Vampire Cafe is?" she asked.
"It's in Ginza, I've been there a couple of times. Alright then, to the Vampire Cafe it is." he said, placing the key in the ignition. The engine sparked to life, quite loudly. He let out a small laugh, as he shifted the car into first gear. Celeste rolled her eyes at his antics, at least he would be enjoying himself.
However, as they started getting closer to the restaurant, Celeste couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive. Not toward what they were currently doing, but toward something else that had been bothering her since they had left the academy. She took a peek at the back seat, seeing nothing, but she couldn't shake the feeling off. She narrowed her eyes as they got to a stop light.
"So, are you enjoying yourself?" she suddenly said.
"Of course I am. It's not every day you get to drive a sport's car." Daisuke said.
"Dear I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to her." she said, gesturing to the tarp. Daisuke's eyes furrowed. He remembered the text Mikan had sent him earlier, groaning loudly.
"Hiyoko, what the fuck are you doing here?" he asked. As if on cue, the blonde sat up, shaking the tarp off her body.
"Ruining your date." she said nonchalantly. The light turned green, and he drove off, turning down a nearby street before pulling into an empty parking space.
"What is wrong with you? Do you just feel the need to piss me off every day of the week?" he asked, glaring at her.
"Well, I saw you and Goth heading out so I felt the need to tag along, so you wouldn't take her purity. I know how perverted you can be." she said, remembering what he had done to her while under the effects of Teruteru's potion.
"Jesus, I am not a pervert. You are just a brat that loves ruining people's lives." he sighed, rubbing his eyes.
"Now, we have to turn back just to take you back to the academy." he said.
"I'm not going back. You guys can go ahead and have your date, I'll just supervise." she said, buckling her seatbelt.
"Dios Mio, porque me das tan mala suerte?" (Dear God, why did you grant me such bad luck?) he said, looking up at the sky.
"Hmm, I suppose this is alright. We'll have to make some modifications to our overall plan. Daisuke, how would you like to have a servant for tomorrow's game?" Celeste asked.
"What?" He and Hiyoko said at the same time.
"It seems the young lady has already made her presence known, and it won't be long until she figures out the plan. So we'll just turn her into your servant. It won't be anything to bad Hiyoko, we're just playing a prank on Daisuke's father, and we need all the help we can get." Celeste said, giving her a smile.
"A...prank? So this date isn't even real, it's just part of an elaborate scheme?" she asked.
"Yes. That's right." the Gambler replied.
"Tell me more."
Daisuke sighed audibly. His perfect plan was already starting to crumble around him, but perhaps Celeste would be able to salvage what was left of it.
Everything seemed to become a blur as the next day rolled along. Daisuke, Celeste and Hiyoko stood outside of the Fuji Residence, staring at it with eagerness. While Daisuke and Celeste wore basically the same thing as the previous night, Hiyoko had been dressed in something that she didn't really want to be in.
She had been forced to wear a tight fitting maid outfit. The dress seemed to fit her small stature quite well. It consisted of a white short sleeved shirt, along with a matching black ruffled skirt, with a checkered pattern. She was wearing one of Chisa's spare frilly aprons, which was tied around her back into a perfect bow. She was wearing a pair of white knee socks, with frilly black garters. She was also wearing a pair of red slippers, which she had borrowed from the Ultimate Gambler, and was surprised that it actually fit her small feet. Her long blonde hair, usually kept up, was now out of it's ponytail and brushed down to her mid back, decorated with a white bonnet. She looked adorable in it, but she didn't think so.
"How did I get myself roped into this?" she asked again.
"Well, there was no way we could risk you getting out of out sight. Don't worry, after we are done here we will buy you all of the traditional Japanese candies you want. And if you say anything about this or reveal this to anyone, you will suffer unimaginable pain. Understood?" Celeste asked, causing the frightened Dancer to nod. Daisuke couldn't help but chuckle at this. He rose his hand pressing the door bell, before wrapping his arm around the Ultimate Gambler's waist.
"Show time." he said with a grin. The door opened a few minutes later, showing the surprised look of Tami-Lynn, who was still holding a wooden spoon in her hand.
"Daisuke, I wasn't expecting you this early..and with company no less."
"Hi mom, sorry about that. I just wanted to be early and not disturb dad's game or anything. I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Celestia Ludenberg." he said.
"Good evening Mrs. Fuji, it's a pleasure to meet you." Celeste said, giving the woman a polite bow.
"Please, the pleasure is all mine. Son, I wasn't expecting you to have such a...beautiful girlfriend." she said.
"I get that a lot." he said with a chuckle.
"Ahem!"
the three looked over to Hiyoko, who had her arms crossed in annoyance.
"Ah yes, before I forget. This little imp is my maid." He said.
"Imp?" Hiyoko snapped.
"Shush. You will not question your master's choice of name would you?" Celeste snapped, causing the girl to grit her teeth.
"No sir." she muttered angrily.
"You...have your own maid?" Tami-Lynn asked curiously.
"Yeah, she's a classmate of mine. Her name is Hiyoko Sai...tama...yeah, Hiyoko Saitama...the Ultimate House Maid." Daisuke said, earning a curious look from his two friends.
"Really? Someone so young excels in an talent like that?"
"With all due respect madam, I may look small but I am actually fifteen years old." Hiyoko said, with surprise politeness in her voice.
"Hiyoko, would you be so kind as to help my mother finish dinner preparations?" Daisuke asked, earning a nod from the blonde, though the glare sent sent him was scarier than anything he had seen from. She bowed politely before entering the house, immediately heading to the kitchen, at least the woman had already started cooking and she could follow the scent. Tami-Lynn stepped aside to let her step son and his girlfriend enter the house.
"So, why was it that you decided to come today?" She asked.
"No reason. Is dad around? I would like to ask him something." he said.
"Yes, he and his associates are in the game room, about to start their game." she said. He nodded, and lead the black haired gambler down the hall toward the game room.
"Was that...Daisuke?" Ryuji asked, earning a nod from his mother.
"Yes, and his girlfriend apparently." She said with a shrug.
"Now gentlemen, are you all ready to loose?" Ryusuke asked, as he shuffled the cards. A chuckle came from beside him.
"I doubt it Ryu, you know how good I am at this game." came the reply from Takarou Togami. He was a tall man, with short neck length blonde hair, in his early forties. He had a handsome chiseled face, with bright blue eyes, shielded by a thin pair of glasses. He was wearing a pressed black suit, with a white shirt underneath. He wore a black cross tie, which was pinned to his shirt. He wore matching black slacks with matching black leather shoes.
"I doubt it, just because you two are better than me, it doesn't mean that that I'll go easy on you."
This was the voice of a young man of twenty, with long black hair, and bright blue eyes. He had a bit of stubble on his chin and looked at bit older than he actually was. He was wearing a tee shirt, under a black and gray plaid jacket. He wore a pair of loose fitting blue jeans and black leather boots. This young man was Haiji Towa, the son of the Towa Family. He had been a late substitute, as his father had been unable to join them.
"Kid, you always end up loosing your father millions, perhaps you should sit this one out." came the final voice in the room, belonging to a man in his early sixties. Short gray hair lined the sides of his head, as he had lost most of it to his age. His face was quite wrinkled, but even then the man held a warm smile on his face. He had a white mustache, and a small pair of classes on his nose. He was wearing a black pressed suit, with a red tie, matching slacks and slip on shoes. This man's name was Craft Lawrence, and he was one of Ryusuke's best lawyers. The men all all chuckled as they got ready for their game. The host was about to speak when he heard a knock on the door. He looked up, thinking it to be his wife, but was actually surprised to see it was his son.
"Daisuke, I wasn't expecting you today." the man said.
"Yeah, sorry about that. I just wanted to drop by again, as I might not be able to show up again for awhile. Even if I don't have the best time, it means a lot to me that you are making an effort in reconnecting with me." he said.
"Ryu, this is your other son?" Takarou said, looking the lad over.
"Indeed, this is my youngest son, Daisuke." the man said. Daisuke bowed politely.
"Daisuke, these are my friends and business associates. Takarou Togami, head of Togami Enterprises. We also have Haiji Towa, the son of the head of the Towa Group, and finally, we have Craft Lawrence, you remember him right?" the man asked.
"Yeah, I remember Mr. Lawrence." Daisuke said with a smile, though inwardly he growled at the old man's presence.
"Your father has told us that you attend Hope's Peak Academy, I assume you've met my son then?" Takarou asked, earning a nod from the boy.
"Indeed, I've met Byakuya a few times while in school. He's a very charming young man."
"My ass. Byakuya is the biggest douche bag I have ever met in my entire life!" he thought to himself, trying not to chuckle.
"Did you need something son? We are about to start our game."
"Actually, do you mind if I join in as well? I'm a decent poker player and I could use the extra funds." he said, a small smile on his face.
"I'm...I'm not sure about son. We take this game very seriously." Ryusuke said.
"Come on, Ryu. Your son wants to spend time with you. We don't mind if he joins at all." Takarou said.
"Yeah, the kid can join if he wants, of course he's gonna loose." Haiji added.
"I suppose you can join us son."
"Great, one more thing...I brought my girlfriend with me, you don't mind if she joins too right?" he asked.
"I don't see why not."
"Awesome. Celeste, sweetie." he called out, entering the room. A second later, the Ultimate Gambler made her way into the room, taking all of the men by surprise. Once Daisuke had set his bag down, he walked over to the young woman, wrapping his arm around her waist.
"Dad, everyone...this is my girlfriend, Celestia Ludenberg."
"It's a pleasure to meet all of you." she said, bowing politely.
"Ludenberg? A German name?" Takarou asked.
"Indeed, I happen to be of French Nobility. My father is a French noble, while my mother is a musician from German origin." she said. The men all shared a look, completely buying the lie. Except for Ryusuke, who had a questioning look on his face.
"Are you sure Celestia Ludenberg is your real name? You look Japanese not French." the man said.
"Dad, please. Her name is Celestia Ludenberg, she wouldn't lie about that would she?" he asked firmly.
"How do I even know if she's your girlfriend? For all I know you are just trying to impress me while winning cookie points with my friends." the man said. Daisuke rolled his eyes, turning to Celeste he took her lips in a kiss, which seemed to surprise her quite a bit, though she followed along with it.
"I think that's proof enough Ryu." Takarou said, chuckling.
"Fine fine. Take your seats, I'll deal you in." the man said. Daisuke nodded, grabbing two spare chairs, he sat next to Haiji, with Celeste being next to him. Luckily the table they were using was big enough for all of them to sit around.
"So, Miss Ludenberg, do you also happen to be a student at the academy?" Takarou asked.
"Indeed, I was scouted for Class 78. My title among the school's jargon happens to be the Ultimate Negotiator. I've been known to make some very successful business deal with my skills alone. I bought half of CNN and sold it to the previous owner for double of what he sold it to me for." she said, accepting her cards.
"Damn, how did you do that?" Haiji asked curiously. She giggled.
"Now now, Mr. Towa, a girl doesn't kiss and tell." she said giving him a wink. She looked at her cards, the smile on her face fell and she entered her poker mode, not showing any emotion. Daisuke noticed this, and straightened up a bit, looking at his cards.
"Two Jacks, 10 of spades, 3 of hearts and 3 diamond, without knowing what else is in play, I have no idea what hand I can make." he thought to himself. His father chuckled, seeing his expression.
"You know son, when playing poker, your supposed to keep your emotions in check, that way you don't expose yourself to early." he said.
"I know that." he muttered dryly. Hiyoko came in a second later, holding a tray in her hands filled with drinks.
"Master, your mother asked me to bring you and your father drinks." she said, softly.
"Ah yes, thank you Hiyoko." he said, giving her a small. He accepted one of the glasses, taking a sip from it before placing in the built in cup holder.
"Who is this?" Ryusuke asked.
"This is Hiyoko Saitama, she's the Ultimate House Maid, and our personal servant." Celeste said firmly, still looking at her cards.
"Personal servant? You have a servant?" Haiji asked.
"Of course! Well, her Ultimate talent falls into helping out with daily chores and she's the best at what she does. Since Celeste wants to one day own her own European castle, we figured we would start hiding the help early on." Daisuke replied.
"I see, the name Saitama sounds familiar..." Ryusuke said, glancing at the blonde. Once all the drinks were passed out, she bowed and left the room, but not without glaring at Daisuke.
"How about I start the pot then? I bet 10,000." Takarou said, placing the money in the center of the table. Daisuke was surprised, as he had been expecting them to be using poker chips. Celeste didn't even look disturbed as she reached into her sleeve, pulling out her own stack of money.
"I meet your bet, and raise you 20,000." she said simply.
"Damn, guess I'll meet your call." Haiji muttered, placing his money into the pot. They all looked at Daisuke, who seemed to be thinking about his hand a bit. He wordlessly placed a roll of bills on the table.
"Call." he said simply.
"I'll fold this time. No use wasting my money this early on." Craft said, content with watching everyone else for a bit. Ryusuke nodded, placing his bet into the pot. 130,000 yen now sat in the pot. Daisuke decided to discard his ten, grabbing a new card from the deck, surprised to see another 3. He smiled inwardly, now having a full house in his hand.
"Alright, any other bets?" Ryusuke asked, watching everyone. Takarou discarded a couple of cards, grabbing two new ones, while Celeste discarded three, grabbing three new ones.
"I'll raise you all ten thousand." Haiji said. Celeste rose a single brow, but placed ten thousand more into the pot, followed by Daisuke and of course his own father. Takarou also placed his own bet, a subtle smirk on his face. Once everyone had placed their bets, Ryusuke called a showdown.
"Read them and weep fellas, two pair." Haiji said, a confident smile on his face. Takarou shook his head, placing a Straight down on the table.
"Sorry kid, the one who will be weeping is you."
"No fair old man, you cheated!"
"Now now Haiji, don't make such a big fuss." Craft said.
"I suppose I got this round made then." Ryusuke said confidently, revealing his hand, Five cards, 2,6,9, King and Queen of Hearts, making a perfect Flush. Takarou grunted in frustration.
"I don't know if this is good or not but here it is." Daisuke said, placing his full house on the table. Craft let out an impressed whistle.
"I suppose the kid takes from your side of the family huh Ryu?" he said, chuckling a bit.
"Yes that's all well and good but it seems all of you lost to me." Celeste said, placing her hand down.
"A Straight Flush?" Haiji asked, completely taken aback.
"Hmm, so it's that kind of game is it. This just got interesting." Ryusuke said, watching as the young woman claimed all of the money for herself. Daisuke quietly congratulated her, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
As time went on, they got more focused on their game, but every single time someone made a bet, it was quickly met by Celeste. By the fifth round of the game, she had stacks upon stacks of money by her side, while everyone else had pitiful expressions on their faces. Ryusuke was getting ready for a showdown, and Daisuke was glad to have sat this round out. Celeste let out a giggle.
"I suppose it isn't your lucky day gentlemen. Are you all out of money? I accept checks and credit cards as well." she said with a wink.
"Screw that! I'm out of this game, if I keep going she'll clean me out." Haiji said.
"I've lost too much money already, I'm out as well." Craft said, looking at his empty wallet. He had started out with 100,000 yen at the beginning of the evening, now he was down to nothing. Having nothing else to bet, Takarou took out his check book, and signed wrote an amount onto it, signing his name at the bottom before placing it atop the pot.
"Ryusuke, I have no idea why you berate your son so much, he's done well enough in this game, and that woman at his side is frightening." Takarou whispered to his host.
"Yes, yes she is." he shuddered. He shook his nerves out of his body, his face was covered in sweat and he had already taken off his suit and tie, remaining in his button down shirt.
"Okay, this is the final showdown. I'm sure you two kids need to be heading back to the academy soon anyway." he said.
"If you say so, I can do this all night gentlemen." Celeste said.
"I'm sure you could, but all of us would be out of house and home by then." Takarou said with a chuckle.
"Showdown."
Takarou placed his hand down first, a confident smirk on his face, only to see Ryusuke's Four of a Kind. He glanced at the check he had written, frowning a bit. He had immense wealth, but loosing it all at a hand of poker really wasn't the best investment. Celeste on the other hand had decided to end the game with a bang, by placing down a Royal Flush. Ryusuke couldn't help but let out several swears as she grabbed the pot of money.
"I have to say, this is by far the most exciting game of Poker I've had in several years." she said.
"That's it...I'm done for the night. I have to get going anyway, busy day at the company. Thanks for having me Ryusuke, it was a pleasure being here." Haiji said, grabbing his coat from his chair. He walked out of the room, a pissed off look on his face.
"Yes, I have several cases I need to get to in the morning. Good day sir, it was nice meeting you Miss Ludenberg, same to you Daisuke, she's a keeper." the old man said with a smile as he turned to leave.
"This is one for the record books I think. Your son is very gifted, benefiting of being in Hope's Peak, especially for finding himself a strong woman like Miss Ludenberg. Take care Ryu, you kids have a good night." Takarou said as he took his leave. Celeste smiled as she counted her money. 4 million yen wasn't that bad of a win in her book, and she also got herself a private jet and some stocks from the Togami Corporation. Ryusuke took a drink from the glass of Whiskey he had poured himself, looking at the too.
"Seriously, is this some sort of joke? How the hell did you clean all of us out?" he asked.
"Well you see dad, you berate those with talent, making fun of them for having useless talents, like my Story Telling. You even said Hiyoko's talent was stupid, and I'll have you know, her true talent as a Traditional Dancer is much more refined than being a maid. Celestia here just decided to use her own talent to the best of her abilities. In the jargon of our school, she's known as the Ultimate Gambler." he said.
"But...you said you were the Ultimate Negotiator?" Ryusuke said.
"I did say that, but in the underground, I not only developed a sense for gambling, but I also developed a strong intellect. To put it simply, I let my silver tongue do the talking, and you and your friends bought the entire thing. I must apologize Mr. Fuji, but those of us with talent absolutely detest when it's made fun of. Daisuke told me countless stories of how you called his talent useless when clearly it isn't. I hope I taught you something today sir." she said firmly, as she grabbed all of the money on the table and handed it to Daisuke who placed it in his bag.
"You two...played us all for fools. I'll say...I wasn't expecting that at all son. Well done...but just because your girlfriend beat us in a game of Poker, doesn't change my opinions about your talent. I still think it's useless, but...I shall recognize it as something, for now at least." the man said. Daisuke ignored him, and took Celeste's hand, leading her toward the door.
"I'll see ya later dad." he said simply, heading out of the game room. They walked into the living room, where Tami-Lynn had been waiting with Hiyoko, a curious look on her face.
"So, the others said you cleaned them out of all their money, that true?" She asked.
"Indeed, it was way easier than I expected." Celeste said.
"I suppose this is what you meant when you said you would get back at your father. Well done, hopefully this changes his mind on a couple of things."
"I hope so. We better go, thanks for having us mom. Oh, and give these to Megan, Sayaka was kind enough to sign them and send her a picture too." he said, handing her the stuff Megan had given him the day before.
"She'll be so excited. It's too bad that she's already asleep." she said.
"I would have loved to see her expression too, but we need to go. Have a good night." he said, heading toward the door, just before it closed though, a scream tore through the house.
"Who the hell shut off the hot water?"
Hiyoko started chuckling a bit when she heard Cameron's voice. Daisuke just hurried her out of the house before anything else could happen.
"Jeez, did you do anything else while we were busy playing that game?" he asked, turning to the blonde.
"Of course, I had to kill my boredom somehow, and your sister was bitch." she replied, as he unlocked the door to the car. He held the door open for Celeste and Hiyoko to get in before getting in himself.
"Well I'll have you know that this night was a success. My father will most likely not hold a Poker night again for awhile at least." he said, turning the car on. Celeste took some money out of Daisuke's bag, handing it to Hiyoko.
"There you are, as per our agreement. Buy all the candy you'd like with that." she said.
"Sweet, for a younger girl, you are alright with me Celeste." the blonde said, counting the money she had just earned. Looking at the time, Daisuke decided it would be best to head back home in his new car. Kazuichi was going to be so jealous when he saw it.
Once back at the academy, Hiyoko took off, saying she wanted to peel off her commoner clothes and get back into her favorite Kimono after having to scrub dishes all night. Daisuke decided to at least walk Celeste back to her dorm. Standing out side of it, he noticed the nameplate that read her name had been flipped over, with the name Celestia Ludenberg being written in it's place. He also saw the name, Kyoko Kirigiri written underneath it.
"You share a dorm with the Headmaster's daughter?" he asked curiously.
"Indeed, though she normally doesn't return until after midnight. It seems she likes to poke around the school for information. No idea why." she said simply. Daisuke handed her the small Gym bag he had gotten at the school store, filled with her winnings for the night.
"I had a lot of fun today Celeste. Seeing a bunch of old men scared out of their wits by a teenager girl was surprisingly entertaining." he said.
"Yes, it was very entertaining. I hope you learned a thing or two about how frightening my talent can be." she said.
"Trust me, I've learned a lot. I will never play against you ever again, or else I'll have to sell my soul for money." he joked, rubbing his neck.
"I...wouldn't mind doing this again sometime. If you wish that is." she said, blushing a bit, something that he never saw the Gambler do. He smiled, giving her a nod.
"I would like that too."
"I...suppose since this is the end of our date, we should...kiss goodnight?" she asked.
"Um...I guess so." he said. They stood there awkwardly for a few seconds. While the kiss they shared back at the Fuji residence was more of an act, this one was a more intimate one, and neither knew how to go about it. Finally, after ten seconds of silence, Daisuke decided to just go for it, and gave the gambler a kiss on the lips. Neither of them noticed the glare a certain Traditional Dancer had been giving them.
A/N: I know jackshit about poker so I hope I did it well enough. This will most likely be the only chapter of it's kind, so don't hold it against me.