Bonds

// Lucy's POV, Lucy's bedroom //

'How has this happened?' Sitting in front of Lucy was Ryuen.

It came as public news that Sudo was not expelled yesterday.

With an assured grin on his face Ryuen spoke, "So do you agree?"

It was clear to Ryuen that he thought that the deal was a sure thing.

'You tech a man how important information is and he thinks your dumb enough to not try and understand how money works. I'm actually a little disappointed with him.'

~sigh~ "So in exchange for the expulsion of one of my class mates, you will give me information on the S-system?" At the deadpan delivery Ryuen realized that something was up.

// Ryuen's POV //

'OK that threw me off. There are one of three possibility's from that sentence. number one, the most unlikely, she cares too much for her classmates to accept the deal.

number two, she already knows about the S-system.

number three, she just doesn't want to make a deal with me.'

I looked her dead in the eye, "So what is it? Care too much about your classmates?"

It was a weak attempt at antagonizing her into the deal.

Lucy looked at me in confusion, "What was that meant to do? Make me angry and agree to a deal that doesn't benefit me at all?"

'Option two it is. She already has extensive knowledge of the S-system and believes that there may draw backs to losing a member of the class. I expected as much anyway, this was just to confirm my suspicions. She is serious about this game.'

I got up to walk before Lucy spoke, "You do remember what I told you a while ago right?"

'Of course I do, it's a very easy to understand concept. She just showed me the results of it.'

With mirth in her eyes Lucy quoted herself, "money isn't the only thing that makes the world go around. But jIf I have money I can get all the information I want. I'm not stupid enough to need conniving people come to me and offer me some deal to get information that I can get with just a few numbers on a phone."

'She doesn't consider points as money even though it acts exactly like money. It seems to her points are only a means to advance herself. Or maybe that's all money is to her? A means to an end.'

"Ok, i'll get going now-" On instinct I ducked and when I looked up there was a wooden geta sandal hovering above my head. That was close, almost gave me a concussion.

I could almost here her smirk, "What are you waiting for, the doors right there?"

I stood up slowly before quickly turning and sending a left jab toward her fore head, she dodged to the side before throwing her own jab toward my neck.

I barley managed to catch the punch and pull her toward me while punching her in the stomach. The slippery bitch managed to still get away from the punch and use my grabbing her hand to her advantage by stabbing a pressure point in the wrist. Damn I should alwase be moving against an opponent like her, never stay still because she's just too fast.

I had no choice but to let go of the hand, when I can't even feel the appendage. It was at this point I felt a kick to the back of my left knee, forcing me to the ground. My left arm was held behind my back and I felt two fingers touching the side of my neck ready to hit another pressure point.

"I give." It was clear if I didn't then she would have temporarily paralyzed me, damn her and her anatomical knowledge.

"Never turn your back on your enemy, we used to be allies but that has changed now. Trust will never be a sure thing for us while we are in different classes Ryuen."

As she let go I sent a punch to the back of her head, of course she dodged it, "enough, leave now. I want to eat. Miyu, how long will it be?"

It wasn't Miyu who responded but another girl, "It will be ready in 4 minutes lady Lucy."

There was two of them? I thought it was just Miyu, I can't see who it is from here and knowing Lucy and how she was with Miyu, this servant of hers won't let her curiosity of who is here make her leave the kitchen.

I made a mistake, of course her servants are able to make it sound like there is only one person in there without it interfering with what they are doing. Having that girl call out to Lucy was just to taunt me. It's as if she's saying, 'I'm all ways a step a head.'

Lucy is the only person in the world to have her servants make it seem like there is only one of them by having them sync their movement instead of having them able to walk so lightly that I can't hear them.

I smirked as I opened the door to leave.

// Himeno's POV //

After we had all eaten, I was on the receiving end of an intense stare from Lucy. "Not two seconds, you wouldn't last two seconds against Miyu."

what? What game wouldn't I be able to beat Miyu in? I can think of a lot of things. checkers, chess, arm wrestling (I've tried) and a whole lot more.

"Miyu, I want you to teach Himeno some judo and boxing. I don't expect absolute greatness from her but able to hold her own against the average male in our school."

Well that came out of no where, why would I need to know how to fight?

Miyu gave Lucy a bewildered look, "Erm Lucy, I don't know Judo."

... Silence surrounded us. Lucy'e eyes blanked, "But you used to say that you where practicing all the time, how do you not know Judo?"

Realization fell upon Miyu's face, "Lucy, you know how we where together all the time when we where younger?" A nod, "And do you remember that when we reached the age of 10 we where literally together all the time?" Another nod, "I had been attending to you 24/7, when exactly did you give me the time to eat and bathe?"

Lucy blinked, then she blinked again. Lucy stood up and walked to her bed, still silent she got under her sheets and closed her eyes.

I didn't know what to do, Miyu sighed in resignation and signaled me to leave the dorm room with her.

// Down stairs, 2 minutes later //

We where at a drink dispenser outside the dorm building. Miyu bought us both a green tea each and took a sip.

I decided to speak up first, "What was it like? Growing up with Lucy I mean."

It took a moment for her to gather her thoughts I think but she responded none the less, "In one word? difficult. Lucy moved to Japan when I was four years old, me and my mother where in dire straights. My mother working two jobs just to keep us afloat, and too poor to afford me an education."

I decided to keep silent and listen.

"It was when we where at our worse when my mother miraculously got offered a job to work as a full time maid. We moved in to the three story house that Lucy's father bought just for her, I noticed that my mother wasn't too good at her job at first. To be honest I think the only reason that my mother got the job was to allow Lucy to live with another child, me."

"I didn't speak to any of the other maids or Lucy for a month or two. Lucy's father had payed for me to go to the same prestigious kindergarten that she was going to. Because I was a quite child I was bullied for the first week of school. Lucy, when she found out about it had the main kid expelled and that scared off any other bullies."

"I began sticking close to Lucy and that got me a lot of benefits, Lucy was basically the queen of that school, not even teachers dared to disobey her. She would get anything she wanted.At this point your probably thinking 'Oh, life couldn't have been that hard for her then'"

I don't know why but i'm ashamed that I was.

"Due to my mothers job, working 16 hours a day and 5 days a week, I didn't talk to her a lot and we became strangers in the same house hold. I came to despise Lucy because of this but as she was the only person I ever really talked to, I never let it show."

"At one point it became too much... The stress began to effect my health and I became ill for two months straight. Sure my mother and the other maids gave me pitying looks and gave me medicine but that was about it. We had a doctor come in and said that my health was deteriorating quickly but couldn't find the cause. I think my mother believed that if I became too troubling then Lucy's father who visited once a year, would kick us out."

"Sure we now had a lot of money saved up but to give up this job would be such a waste. My mother became... aggressive with me shortly. Only in private, and it never got to the point she would hit me but it was clear she valued her job more than me, I almost did it, I almost gave it all up at that point but it was then that I realized it."

~sniff~ I had tears falling, I noticed that I was crying.

"I hadn't thought much about it but Lucy had been by my side every hour that she had free, a lot of that time was spent in silence but she was there. At my lowest, at 6 years old I decided that Lucy was my purpose. She was my special someone, and I would do anything for her."

"When Lucy's father visited, he noticed my devotion toward his daughter and I was made her personal attendant." Miyu gave a chuckle, "Would you believe that I was paid more money than my mother?"

"My mother became a lot more attentive of me after that visit and I realised how disgusting humans where. It also occurred to me that by Lucy's fathers 3rd visit that she didn't have a mother,"

This came as a shock to me, having both parents with decent paying jobs, I never thought how others may struggle.

"I had to not only be Lucy's servant but her mother as well. I decided that I would give her my everything after all, if she didn't have something, I would make sure she had it. I did research on motherhood and it helped tonnes! I learned loads of new thing. How to persuade a child into eating their vegetables, to get her to bathe and even how to make dinner."

"Of course Lucy was an extremely smart person so it was easy to communicate as a servant. but she was also and still is very childish, so it was hard and exhausting to get her to do things she didn't want to do."

"Her childishness never seemed to fade and sometimes I think she reverts to her being a child? It's difficult to explain, like what you saw earlier when she crawled into her bed. Psychologists say that it is very important for a child to have a 'safe space' and I think that is her bed for Lucy."

That was an emotional roller coaster, it sounds like there where a lot of ups and downs in their childhoods. Both where distant from their family's and found each other, it's very wholesome.

"Himeno," I looked Miyu in the eyes, "I told you that I will give Lucy my all right?"

"You did." I whispered. I didn't trust my voice not to hiccup.

"I understand that you are using Lucy to advance yourself and Lucy is using you as a servant in exchange." I nodded in confirmation. "Unlike me, Lucy is a convenience to you. That means that there is potential that you may betray Lucy at some point."

I grew confused at her ominous tone. My legs started shacking and I could feel the adrenaline start pumping through my system, but as I was about to stand up from the wall it was too late. Miyu had a grip around my throat.

"Due to the paradigm of your and Lucy's relationship, do you understand why I may not trust you fully?" I couldn't muster up my voice so I only nodded, "Do you understand that if you hurt my master in any way, shape or form, I will hunt you down to the ends of the earth?"

What could I do but nod?

"Despite this, do you wish to continue your relationship with my master? This is the one opportunity I will give you to back out."

I didn't respond for 10 seconds, "tch, I thought so." Miyu let go of me and began walking away.

How can I let it end like this? Things have been so good for me lately. To be honest I have started enjoying my time alone with the two of them aswell.

"Wait," I managed to voice out. Miyu turned around and raised an eyebrow, "I want to continue serving under lady Lucy." I was resolute with my decision. I was confident.

Miyu began walking toward me, for such a kind and caring person, she can be awfully scary, "And what makes you think your worthy? I won't accept your loyalty to my master under just a simple agreement. I have a life long bond with her, what do you have?"

What do I have? I've only known her for for the last two months but... "A promise. I have a promise to you." I knelt down and spoke, "I promise that I will not betray our master. I will serve her until i'm no longer needed."

I looked up, Miyu was standing there with indifference on her face. That's it, that's all I can do. It's over isn't it? She's going to kill me.

I closed my eyes in resignation, ready for my impending doom. A second later I felt it, a... hug?

~Sniff~ "I believe you, we will serve our master to the best of our ability's. We will share our master's burdens together. We will be sisters."

I can feel the conviction and dedication in her words and they moved me. I began to tear up and hugged Miyu back. "I promise."

// Miyu's POV //

"I promise." I heard a tired and hoarse voice.

The smile on my face must be huge even through the tears. Our family is growing!

Eventually the hold Himeno had on me loosened, she must have fallen asleep. It's been a long day after all. I don't have her ID card, nor her room number so I guess she will sleep with me tonight.

// 3rd POV, the next morning //

Himeno groggily opened her eyes and was eye level with a huge pair of breasts. She blinked a few times, and looked up slightly to see a sleeping Miyu, 'cute' was her first thought.

// Lucy's POV, end of class //

Today I noticed that Himeno, has been looking at me an awfully lot more during class today. Dully I noticed that a rook was moved to h8 taking a hanging queen I had just promoted, so I moved my bishop from across the board to h8 and took his rook. His expression was one of realization. That queen was not hanging, it was a trap that started from my sixth move.

With a look to the door of my classroom I saw a short lilac haired girl accompanied by another class A girl named Masumi Kamuro. It seems after 2 months and a surprise chat, I have gathered the interest of Arisu Sakayanagi.

After hearing the clack sound of a piece being moved I smiled. I was one move away from being check mated. It was another trap of course. The boy in front of me had tunnel vision and was too focused on that side of the board.

I played my original queen to g7, My queen check mated his king (on g8) as it was defended by the previously played h8 bishop. I won.

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Name: Yuki Himeno

Class: 1 B

Class points: 830

Private points: 34,769

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Name: Miyu Abe

Class: 1 D

Class points: 87

Private points: 42,812