Special exam - deserted island test (part 3)
All his smugness had disappeared by now, it was replaced by a serious one. "I will hear you out."
"Good, instead of merely having him step down from contention of leader and dragging your class down from there, why not just get rid of him?"
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Hashimoto gave me an accusatory stare, "What are you suggesting?"
I grinned, "I suggest that he receive an injury that will effect his participation in this exam and any future exams."
Hashimoto immediately refused, "Hell no, I am not doing that!"
My face was one of confusion at this point, "Who said you would do it?"
He seemed complexed by what I just said, "That's not the problem! I want Sakayanagi as class A's leader, and I will make it happen, but I won't allow for one of my classmates' future be impeded."
"Are you dumb? If you had a problem with impeding anyone's future you would have dropped out of this school, you being in class A impedes the rest of our classes from receiving the rewards for being in class A at the end of our 3 years."
"Tch, that's not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean?"
"I refuse to go through with your plan, i'm leaving."
"You know Hashimoto, I bet reducing Katsuragi to the same state that Sakayanagi is in would be very fitting."
// Hashimoto's POV //
Fitting? What the hell is wrong with her? Nothing good can come from disabling a person for the rest of their life. A certain girls face flashed through my head.
Tch, who is she to make that decision? She knows nothing about struggle.
~Sigh~ "To be honest I had higher hopes for you, I thought you where committed to aiding Sakayanagi, but I guess not." She shrugged her shoulders.
"Committed? I am committed." How dare she question my loyalty.
"Are you sure? I just gave you a solid way of achieving your goal but you refused me? That doesn't sound like commitment to me." There's a difference to that and ruining a persons future you dumb bitch.
I walked up to her slowly and swung my leg at her midsection, "Hah!"
My eyes opened wide, I may not be the best of fighters but there is no way a girl half my size could catch my kick.
"I will be the one to end Katsuragi's contention for leader of class A." She had a creepy smile on her face.
"I said no!" I sent a punch at the side of her face expecting for her to catch that too, she didn't. I moved away from her in shock, I just hit a girl.
She spat out blood from her mouth, "You won't hit a man your age but you'll hit a girl smaller than you? Your disgusting." She gave me a look of derision, she's right though.
I decided that I would follow Sakayanagi because I thought she would come out on top of Katsuragi, I still think i'm right but that is a horrible personality to have isn't it?
I actually liked Katsuragi, I had a better opinion of him than Sakayanagi but she is more willing to go the extra mile to win.
I smiled, it was one of defeat but I smiled none the less. "Your right, I am disgusting. But I don't care. i'll acknowledge the fact but i'm not going to change anything, I will continue to fight for Sakayanagi but I won't do it your way, even if that means losing a few points along the way."
// Lucy's POV //
I could feel a bruise forming on my cheek but that meant nothing to me right now. He doesn't want to follow my plan? Even though it's the most efficient way to remove his problem? Why? I was confused so I looked around for Miyu, only to realize that she wasn't here to explain the problem to me.
I don't know what to do. I accused him of being a woman beater, I let him hit me. I fed him the answer to his problem, I don't understand why he is refusing?
Guilt didn't work, he spent a solid 30 seconds thinking and came to some conclusion that he was happy with And he said 'no'.
Did Ryuen predict me to ask Hashimoto this, and take measures against it? No, Hashimoto seemed genuinely against my idea.
I looked around again, for some reason expecting Miyu to be here to explain to me... but she wasn't.
I didn't speak another word, frustrated I just turned and started walking off.
// Miyu's POV //
I was tired, it's 1:20 AM right now and Lucy seems to be in extreme confusion. "Tell me what happened."
I was sat down and she had her head on my lap, lying down. After 10 odd minutes she had finished, "Miyu, why didn't he just do what I said?"
Well that's because he has morals ~Sigh~. "Lucy did it ever occur to you that his morals went against what you where suggesting?"
"B-but, it was perfect. It was the perfect solution. Why would morals matter?" She seemed to be getting angry, "If he had just listened everything would have worked out! Why!? Miyu, why did he not accept?"
It seems she didn't know what to do with herself so she just started to punch the log we where sat on with Tears falling because of her rage. At some point, one of her arms hit my thigh. Hard. I was in pain but I didn't let it show. she ended up lying on the ground, still.
Children tend to get upset and angry when they are confused, maybe that's what is happening here? "Lucy, for the past 16 years people have listened to every word you have said right?"
She nodded, not trusting her voice it seemed, "You went to extensive lengths to make that happen right?"
Another nod, "But I did the same here so why?"
"Did you think of the consequences he may face if he was caught or if he was found out?"
"I did."
"Yet you still thought he would go through with your plan?" Now I was confused.
"I decided that the consequences wouldn't matter to him because he was loyal to Sakayanagi's goals."
~Sigh~ "Lucy." She looked me in the eyes, and I bopped her head with a closed fist.
"Agh! Hey what the hell was that for?" She got to her knees and looked at me dead in the eyes.
"Lucy it doesn't matter if he is loyal or not, most people will value themselves over anyone else." She gained understanding, it seemed. She sat in my lap for the next half an hour in silence, probably thinking.
"Hey Miyu?"
"Mhm"
"you said people value themselves before anyone else right?"
"I did"
"Then..."
She paused, maybe rethinking whether to ask the question or not. I gently stroked her hair, "Go on"
"Then would you betray me if it was convenient for you?"
I giggled, "Of course not, I said most people didn't I?"
"Good, I wouldn't let you betray me anyway."
Another 10 minutes of watching the stars and stroking Lucy's hair passed.
"Lucy?"
"Yes?"
"Would you ever betray me if the situation demanded it?"
"I would kill whoever caused that situation, so no."
I smiled, "Love you Lucy."
"Love you Miyu."
I checked my watch, 2:12 AM, "Have you thought about what your going to do next?"
"I have." She didn't speak for the next 20 seconds, "And I think it will go splendidly."
The excitement in her voice made me happy, "Good."
// Lucy's POV, the next day. //
Day 4.
It was 8:00 AM and we where doing our morning roll call, voices called out one by one to let Hoshinomiya sensei know they are here.
It was finally my turn, "Hey, sensei can I speak with you?"
She responded with a "Yes, of course you can."
I waited by the tent by myself, for sensei to finish roll call.
I thought in the mean time, going over my classes current situation.
I know class D's leader, class C and A knows our leader and everything else is a mystery. I only have 3 days to find out the other two classes leaders and swap our leader.
On top of that, we can't guess class D's leader as I don't know if they are going to change it or not. I know that Horikita is sick but there may still be changes due to the presence of me and Miyu. You just never know.
This really isn't going to how I planned this, I thought I would have made much more progress by now. ~sigh~
"What are you so grumpy about?" I looked up and saw sensei standing there with her arms crossed and an inquisitive look on her face.
"Sensei? did you go to this school when you where younger?" Of course I knew she did, I read about it in a previous life.
"I did, why do you ask?" A small grin appeared on her face, one that hoped for a smart student. A cunning student.
"I'm assuming you can't divulge any information for free?" I know she can't but doesn't hurt to ask.
"Of course I can!" huh? Now that's a surprise. "No information about the school but I can tell you things like the cost ice cream, the best way to wash your hair... ." My stare was deadpan.
"That was a mean prank sensei." She tilted her head to the side.
"What prank?" It's scary how I almost believed that she was confused.
"Sensei, how many points would it cost to change our leader?"
This got a reaction out of her, "Huh? Oh has someone figured out that your the leader?" A nod, "Well, I'll let you do it for 400,000 points."
400,000? Is that it? I bet she doesn't think that I have that many. "Then I would like to buy the right to change our class leader."
Sensei's eyes widened, "eh? But do you even have that much?"
Another nod, "I do."
"Hmmmmm, OK then! I'll just take it out of your account when I get back then."
I smiled and was about to ask her to change it to Ichinose, but in the corner of my eye I saw Kaneda enter the girls tent and changed my mind.
Ichinose is too easy a person to persuade into giving out information I think, I may be wrong but I have a better idea in mind. "Sensei can you change the leader to Kanzaki please, also can you make the change in two days please."
Sensei rose an eyebrow, "Being sneaky are we?" A giggle left her mouth, "Come to the ship on the sixth day and i'll give you the card."
I nodded, "Thanks sensei."
If I changed the leader immediately Kaneda would just report to Ryuen that someone else is occupying the spots instead of me. Earlier on when I saw him walk into the girls tent I can only assume that it was to sneakily place the card back into my bag before 10 AM when I have to reoccupy the spot.
Now to find Kanzaki and tell him that he's our next leader. I saw Ichinose passing by so I called out to her, "Hey Ichinose, do you know where Kanzaki is?"
Ichinose turned toward me, "Kanzaki? Sure I know where he is, he's gone out by himself to collect firewood for tonight. What do you need him for?" She tilted her head.
"I just have a question I need answered, thanks for your help!" I waved as I moved further away from Ichinose. I know where Kanzaki is as we collect our firewood from roughly the same place every day.
It only took 10 minutes to find him on his knees picking up and stacking twigs, "Kanzaki," I got his attention, though he did seem a little surprised. "I was going to not tell anyone but decided that it is for the best if you know."
"Tell me what? Has there been a change in plans?" Kanzaki got to his feet.
"There has, I need you to return to the ship on the sixth day." This seemed to shock him.
"What why?" He asked with a concerned tone.
"Kanzaki, do you trust me?" Ah, the age old question of trust.
"..." I didn't get a response, to be honest i'm still a little shaken up from yesterday so my blood was pumping. I could feel my heart racing even though my expression didn't change.
I learned something yesterday, there are varying levels of trust. If I where to question someone if they trusted me, truly trusted me then the answer could be nothing but 'no', assuming they aren't lying.
self preservation is at the fore front of everyone's mind, if even on a sub unconscious level, it's primal. That is the best theory I could come up with over last night, it is impossible for a person to 100% trust another human being.
Luckily I don't need 100% of Kanzaki's trust, I just need enough to garner a positive outcome to this situation. "I do, I will retire from the special exam Saturday morning."
I suddenly got all giddy on the inside and could feel my index finger twitching, "Thank you, to be honest I feel a little overwhelmed." I gave him a tired smile.
Of course I was tired, but that doesn't mean I can't persevere until Sunday, this was just for him to feel sympathetic enough to 'cut me a bit of slack' and make life a little easier on me.
"Don't worry, I trust you... and so does the rest of the class. You are our leader and we will completely trust you so... so try to rely on us a little more okay? You don't need to do everything by yourself, all we ask of you is that you put a bit of trust in us as well. Can you please do that?" My jaw was dropped, however slight it was. I don't think I've ever heard someone sound so... stupid.
I understand that you can trust me but... that's because I've shown results that are worth trusting in. What have you done that means you can earn my trust? There are only one person I can trust in this world, and that is Miyu. Miyu has been with me since my 5th summer in this world and not once has she shown herself to untrustworthy. She has sworn her utmost loyalty to me and has been through all the good and all the bad with me.
Himeno has also sworn loyalty to me but that is only because I hold something that benefits her, maybe in the future I can be sure of it but for the time being Himeno is a work in progress. I may have to give her one final test.
Back to the current situation with Kanzaki, I know his words are inconsequential but they are useful for me and going along with them are the key to success right now. "That makes me relieved, thank you Kanzaki, thank you for trusting me."
With one final deep breath and smile I turn and walk back to camp. I seem to be doing that a lot recently, turning my back on someone the moment I get what I need out of them, I must be really stressed out. Maybe I will take the girls out when we get back to school, hmmm.
I know what your thinking, why have Kanzaki drop out on day 6 when that is when he is scheduled to become the next card holder? That answer is simple, Ryuen. What you want more? Fiiine.
Despite having photo evidence of me being the card holder, he will be skeptical. That is because he knows that if I didn't want that card to go missing, it wouldn't.
When we where 14 years old there was a mutiny. I know crazy right? Any way, there was a minor slip up and information of my identity was leaked to a precinct of our gang, obviously they where unhappy about it and thought they could easily overthrow a small 14 year old girl. They where wrong.
It was a cold day so I wasn't in a good mood and the 4 SUV's that pulled up outside the dojo only made my mood worse. I had been in the middle of meditation and they had disturbed me so my mood plummeted further.
// Ryuen's POV, age 14 //
(Authors note: it's about to get graphic, continue at your own risk)
The dojo was silent, the only people here was me, Miyu, a few guards that Miyu had 'picked up' from the military and of course Lucy. It turns out we have dealings with the Japanese government, and in exchange for 20 personnel on Lucy's beck and call and a supply of weaponry, we have to keep overall crime in our territory low but not silent. To find a good balance that allows for showing off Japans police force in a good light. Of course this allows for the government to spend less money on the surrounding police and put it else where as we are doing the polices job.
Anyway that's not the point, the point is that 4 blacked out SUV's showing off the gangs upper echelon symbol of an oni mask and two katanas with the writing '未知の鬼' showed up. This reads out michi no oni, or unknown oni. The thought behind this apparently was that the leader of the gang was an evil devil that no one knew the identity of, the most fearsome of enemy's is one that you have no information on after all.
What's confusing is the fact that these vehicles are for the upper echelon of Scorpion only, how did a group of people get a hold of them? All the other scorpion vehicles had the standard scorpion and ax symbol. There must be a traitor.
immediately there where 6 rifles trained on the vehicles by 6 men in pristine suits, there was also communication through a headset requesting back up from the inside. I was also alerted the moment the SUV's had stopped in front of the dojo so I could report to Lucy.
At that time Lucy was clearly not in a good mood and intended to take it out on the scum who thought they could overtake the 'unknown oni'. It didn't take long for the security to surround the vehicles now that there was 12 of them, 2 others protecting Lucy herself and finally the other 6 posted inside the building to avoid anyone sneaking inside.
It was silent, deadly silent, not even the air dared to make any sound. Then it happened, gunfire took off and lasted only a few moments. The first shot was made by the driver of the second car, one of our men died, but it wasn't long before everyone else in the other cars where injured with a minimum of 3 bullet holes in each of them. Only 6 men on there side was killed, and the other 26 apprehended with gunshot wounds.
"Bring them inside, now." Lucy had spoke over the headset that rested on her head, as I went to turn into the dojo again I was surprised to find out that Lucy was actually outside as well. She was sat at the top step of the dojo with an irritated look on her face. whether it was the fact that our cars where damaged or the fact that this was the first mutiny we have had, I don't know. What I do know however was that 'advanced interrogation techniques' where used on the captives. Those 'techniques' where implemented and carried out by Lucy herself and the two body guards that stay close to Lucy religiously.
the screams where unbearable to hear, the crying, the begging and the utter fear in the voices that echoed through the dojo... they where unbearable to listen to. I and the other weak willed members left the dojo but that didn't stop the nightmares that I had that month. No one questioned the disappearance of one Hiyato Masamune, a high ranking soldier provided by the government. He must have been the traitor.
It's safe to say that Lucy had to appear in court privately due to all the complaints from the residents that lived close by to the dojo. Naturally she received no problems or punishment, in fact she questioned the skill of her security detail she was given and the two men that was killed was replaced with 7 highly trained officers.
Those officers undoubtedly gave information on us to the government but it was of no consequence as we had a good thing going between us, that and the fail-safe Lucy had set up, but that is for another time.
The point is that Lucy is ruthless. Lucy gets what she wants and even if a plan goes south, its only a matter of time before that fail is rectified and she comes out on top. Lucy knows that I know who there card holder is. The only issue is that she is too unpredictable, the card may have been a fake for example. I just don't know and i'd rather not risk it, I'll have my little spy get more information for me then I will come to a conclusion.
// Ayanokoji's POV, Day 6 //
Horikita has been retired from the exam. My plan has been set up, now just to wait for it to come to fruition.
Role call is being done for the night, and a name is called that draws my attention; "Miyu Abe." The name was responded to with a "Here Sensei!"
The girl was extremely popular within the class, i'd argue that shes the 3rd most popular, contending for second girl in our class. The first being Kie Karuizawa and second Kikiyo Kushida.
Anyway Miyu Abe is a kind, outgoing person who gets along with everyone. There is absolubtly no reason that she would be suspicious, besides the fact that she leaves the camp every morning at 1:00 AM for up to an hour each night. I haven't followed her as I don't think she is doing anything that would put the class in jeopardy. Hmmm, i'll definitely have to keep an eye on her.
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Special exam - deserted island test
Day: 6
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Class A:
Points: 165
Leader: unknown
Withdrawals: 1
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Class B:
Points: 130
Leader: Lucy Hall
Withdrawals: 1
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Class C:
Points: 100
Leader: Unknown
Withdrawals: 0
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Class D:
Points: 125
Leader: Ayanokoji Kyotaka
Withdrawals: 2
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please tell me if you would like extra chapters that go deep into certain characters backstorys that wasn't adventured into yet in the actual novel.
I have been thinking about these sort of ideas while I haven't been updating so please let me know if this is something that you would like to see.
These chapters will not disrupt any flow of scheduled chapters that are to come.