บท 17: Special exam - deserted island test (finale)
// Lucy's POV, day 6 //
Hahahaha! It worked! It really worked! I hold in my hand the class leaders card, on the front of it the name: Yuki Himeno
How is it Himeno, you ask? Well that's simple, I payed 400,000 points to change it. Did I pay 800,000 points total? Of course not! What do I look like? An idiot? Pfft.
With Kanzaki's retirement, the transaction between me and Hoshinomiya sensei was called off and I made a new transaction with the only change being who our leader is. Why go through all the trouble? Because of security reasons, that's why. You need to lose points to gain them.
More specifically, it became obvious to me that there was simply no where on the island that was safe to talk in private. I had this moment of enlightenment when Koenji appeared out of no where. Naturally I had to make counter measures against this and not give out any information.
The only thing to do now was to somehow get Himeno to claim the spot without the class C spy seeing. That is of course easy, in order for that spy to stay in our camp he has to do chores around the camp and one of those chores is to collect firewood, especially now that Kanzaki is gone. All I had to do was get Himeno to do it whilst he was away.
I was walking back to the camp late at night when I saw a figure in the trees, scratch that it was two people. I ducked into a bush and stayed completely still, not making a sound, not even breathing, I had essentially erased my entire presence.
The first thing I saw was Kyotaka Ayanokoji, he looked a bit worse for wear, muddy all over scratches on his clothes and arms, he must have just protected Horikita from getting hurt whilst falling down the side of that cliff.
Of course in his arms was a curled up Horikita, fully knocked out. her hair and clothes where a bit muddy but other than that she cleaner than one would expect. If I didn't know any better then I would assume that Ayanokoji cares about Horikita a lot.
Ayanokoji carried on walking right by me and I suspect he didn't realize I was here, just to be safe I spent another minute there, not moving.
"Hmmm, the show is coming to an end." I continued walking toward camp, it seems that I wouldn't be meeting Miyu tonight, it's too risky with a wild Ayanokoji about. Hehe, he's like a pokemmon.
When I got back to camp, I woke Himeno up quietly with a hand over her mouth just in case. Iwas rewarded with a dead stare. With a sigh she gave up on sleep and just left the tent with me.
"So..." I tilted my head, "Why are you waking me up at... 1:26 in the morning?" She pointed her watch at me in simmering anger.
"Because I have important information to share, " She gave me a look that clearly said 'How is any information this important that you had to wake me up?' "You are our new class leader. The plan is you are going to claim our camp site when that Kaneda guy goes off to find firewood."
Why is she looking at me as if my plan is totally not going to work? "Okay first of all, are you going to tell me what led up to me being class leader?" I shook my head, I want to know comes next, she sighed, "Second of all, Kaneda isn't going to be collecting any firewood for us, his leg is in no condition for him to exert himself."
What? "How? How did he injure his leg like that?" This is very coincidental timing.
"Well he said he tripped when he went to collect firewood earlier." And hurt his leg so bad he can't even walk and grab a few sticks? That's unlikely.
~Sigh~ good thing I thought up multiple plans, "Ok. Then plan B it is, I will claim the spot myself."
Himeno looked at me as if I was stupid, "That's not going to work, on the card is a picture of your face and has my name written on it. Also he will make sure that he sees whenever the spot is being claimed now that Ryuen is suspicious no?."
I smirked, "I know, that's why I kept my card." Himeno looked at me in confusion, "The card may have been deactivated but I noticed something when I claimed the spot all those times. As the method to claim the spot is touch screen and all I have to do is place the card on top of it, I began to experiment. To be specific, I experimented with the range that I can claim it and it turns out out the card has to be roughly 3 quarters of a cm. It also turns out that these cards are under half a cm wide."
Himeno's eyes widened slightly, "You plan to claim the spot by hiding my card behind your old one to make it seem like your still the card holder and the only way to completely confirm if someone is the card holder is if they claim the spot as each class only has one card activated at a time. But wait-"
"I already know what your thinking, and the answer is simple... Because the teachers can track our watches with GPS to see who is closest to the terminal as it is when a spot is claimed. That is why we can't give the card to someone else and have them claim the spot... But I have found a way to bypass that."
"What did you do?" Himeno seemed extremely invested in my little plan and I kind of want to show boat for a little while longer so I'll explain.
"Our sensei is known to be clumsy is she not?" With a nod form Himeno I continued, "So it is plausible that the distraction of 100,000 points may cause her to forget to tell the other sensei's what went down and also forget the rule that the person with their name on the card has to claim the spot wouldn't it?"
// Himeno's POV //
Lucy has paid off our sensei? I got a sudden flashback to our first day when we where told that we could buy almost anything, it was then that a sudden thought occurred to me, "Lucy, how much have you spent in the last 6 days?" To be honest the answer scared me.
"Only 500,000, why?" 500,000?! Is she crazy? That's like a months work for the average japanese man, let alone a 16 year old girl...
"How have you even got that many points? Wait did you-" I was cut off in an instant.
"It was my own money, don't worry. Nothing came out of the class bank." The class bank, a system we created in order to preserve points in case of any emergencies, the idea was proposed by Ichinose and the separate account is only accessible by Ichinose and Lucy.
~Sigh~ A sigh of relief left my lips, if she had taken it out of the class bank then it won't be long before Ichinose finds out and tells everyone, after that Lucy will face the dire consequences of her actions.
I looked up and saw a smug look on Lucy's face, tch she knew I would worry over that. "Oh! I guess I should report my findings now?" With a 'Go on.' from Lucy I began.
// Ichinose's POV, in the shadows //
I was in shock. Hidden behind a tree and in hearing distance of Lucy and Himeno, I stood still. I wanted to speak to Lucy about what we would do tomorrow in terms of guessing the class leader.
It was then that I noticed she woke Himeno up and left the tent. I don't know why I kept silent but I had this gut feeling, and I was right to listen to it. Because of I stayed silent and followed them, I have found out that Lucy has spent 500,000 points just to aid our battle in this special exam while I stayed at camp being useless.
Bringing a hand to my chest, I felt a pang of guilt. It was then that I heard Himeno begin another conversation and stopped my thoughts in order to listen clearly.
"Oh! I guess I should report my findings now?"
// Lucy's POV //
"Go on." I responded, It was now that I hear a small but sudden intake of breath from our left. It doesn't seem like Himeno heard it and I didn't react to it at all because I already know that it is Ichinose. I know this because she had an abnormal breathing pattern that I noticed when waking up Himeno.
"Koji Machida is class A's card holder." She spoke as if it was a fact, so I trust her but just to make sure-
"And how did you find this out?" It was Himeno's turn to put on a smug face, feels good doesn't it?
"Me and Kanzaki scouted out the area you told us that they might be in and you where right, they where there." I rolled my eyes as if saying 'yhea obviously', it was returned with a flat stare. "Anyway, we shouted outside to let them know we where there, well I did."
"Oh, just you?" Her old look of pride only got more prideful.
"Yup!" she popped the 'p', "Kanzaki was hidden behind the trees with that camera you found from that class C spy."
I could instantly guess what happened, but held my tongue so she could have her moment, "Katsuragi walked out holding the ID card," I cut her off here.
"Wouldn't that mean Katsuragi was the card holder?" I obviously knew that he wasn't but thought that I should give Himeno her moment.
"No, I think that he just wanted us to think that it was him because he quickly put it away as if it where an accident." I rose an eyebrow, "Kanzaki got a video of the whole thing and if we zoom in you can see all the details on the card including the name: Koji Machida."
I started clapping, "Well done, well done. Now that we have class A's leader, we can sell this information to class D." I quickly pointed toward the tree that Ichinose was hiding behind before Himeno gave any reaction to what I said.
She caught onto what I wanted, "I have one question though, why are we selling class D all the leaders information?"
I gave her a thumbs up, "Well it's not difficult to figure out, class D is full of nobody's who will never amount to anything, their only use is to give us money for something we figured out for ourselves. It doesn't matter if they catch up with points because they will inevitably lose those points all over again."
I mouthed the words 'Oppose me' to her, "That's not right Lucy, that's just... just horrible! How can you think of people like that?" This girl is truly made for the Oscars award.
"Listen Himeno, I know that it's not an ideal train of thought but sometimes you have to put yourself first, even if that means putting others down for your benefit. This world is made up of opportunists and they will exploit any weakness you have, that is why you have to crush them before they can crush you."
"But what's so wrong with being nice and kind every once in a while, the world would be a much better place for everyone if we where all kind right?"
"Kindness is not a weakness, as long as it doesn't put you in a position that could harm you in the future that is."
// Ichinose's POV //
What is she saying? Kindness is bad? How can being kind be bad?
"Kindness is not a weakness, as long as it doesn't put you in a position that could harm you in the future that is."
As long as it doesn't put you in a bad position later on?
Crush them before they crush you?
Opportunists?
Why? why would you have to crush anyone in the first place, if you only have good intentions?
"Himeno, you have to think. If you had a deep secret that could threaten the classes survival at this school and I found out about it, what would you do?"
"Nothing because I trust you, I know you would never tell anyone because you are the person who runs the class."
"Wrong, I would blackmail you into giving me all your points over a period of time until I have enough to switch classes. Once I have enough points I would switch to the current class A and reveal all your secrets to everyone."
"But... Why would you do that?"
"Because I can, humans are built to further their own causes despite the destruction they cause to the people around them, as long as they reach their goal, who cares about anyone else?"
I can't stand to listen to this anymore.
// Lucy's POV, the next day //
When I woke up I saw Ichinose sitting, looking haggard as if she hadn't slept all night, "What's wrong? Did you have a bad dream?"
She seemed spooked by my question but couldn't look me in the eyes, "No, I just had some thinking to do."
"I see, did you come to a good conclusion?"
There was a moment of silence, "I think so."
"So what was you thinking about?"
"To be honest..." She was contemplating something, "I followed you yesterday, I heard everything you said to Himeno and it got me thinking."
I didn't give any reaction that she may have expected from me, "And what conclusion did you come to?"
"Sometimes... Sometimes you have to be selfish in order to be selfless."
What? What the f**k does that mean?
"Can you explain for me?"
"If I want to be kind, then I have to be mean to others in order to be kind to the ones I love."
Huh? I still don't get it. "So you think the people you love take priority over those you don't love?"
"What? Of course not! Of course they don't, it's not like i'm god or anything-"
"Then what makes those YOU love anymore important then those you don't?"
"I... I don't know..."
"Why are you the deciding factor?"
"Well... I-"
"What did those other people do to make you hate them so much?"
"What? I don't hate them-"
"So why should they suffer for your happiness?"
She couldn't respond to me, it's as if her mind was going to fast, she's about top have a panic attack.
I stood up and walked over to her, I dropped to my knees and brought her head to my chest, hugging her. Her breathing was erratic and I could hear her heart beating like there was no tommorow. I began stroking her hair. After a few more seconds she began to cry into me.
After a few minutes when she began to calm down from her hyperventilating, I whispered into her ear, "It's difficult isn't it?"
She nodded into my chest, "I know you just want to be kind to everyone but you know that's just not possible don't you?" Another nod.
"Hmm, you don't want to make those hard decisions do you, they're draining aren't they?" She began to lightly cry again.
"Shhh, it's okay. You don't have to make those decisions, trust me. If you can just give me your support hen I can help you make everyone happy. Would you like that?"
When she nodded into me for the last time, I felt my heart drop. Ichinose is kind of...
I shook my head to get rid of those thoughts. Those thoughts are not important right now. What's important right now is Ichinose herself, now that the hard part is over I can let her rest.
Now was the best time for this to happen, We have had a stressful past week with being on a stranded island, commanding over 30 people to keep our camp afloat and having little to no sleep for over 30 hours would have anyone emotionally weak.
I looked down into my lap where Ichinose's head was lying, she was cute. She was at peace, asleep. I continued to stroke her head and when Himeno came into the tent to let me know that our time on this island was over, I asked her to try and buy us a bit more time so I can wake Ichinose and get her cleaned up.
To be honest I have always thought that Ichinose was the cutest girl in the series and have wanted to be close to her for a long time. When I was a kid in my second life I had planned over and over how I could get close to her and when I reached my teenage years I had used my perfect memory to draw some... 'experimental' scenes of the two of us.
This inspired me to find a way to get close to her. My first realisation was that Ichinose took control of the class because there was no other authority figure students in the class. Class C had always been a bit shaky throughout the series and that's because no one was able to make tough decisions and/or didn't have the drive to do anything it takes to win.
That is why I had to take that position, I will make the tough decisions so Ichinose can enjoy her time at this school, Ayanokoji might be out there to make people be a better version of themselves like Horikita but I will make it so that my loved ones will not have to change, they will be content with how they are and let me do the hard work to make their dreams become a reality.
On the ship, in our next exam I will start taking care of Ichinose, the second person on my list, first being Miyu. My girls will be the happiest and have fun, if only they trust me.
I want this to happen, and I have ways to make things I want to happen, happen.
// Ayanokoji's POV //
We where all standing in groups made up of classes totaling up to 4 groups. We where about to get our class rankings for the exam. I looked over at my class and everyone was waiting in anticipation.
The next moment, class A's sensei spoke into a micrphone: "We have finished totaling up all of the points and class rankings for this exam."
He looked down at his clip board, "In last place with 65 points is class C!"
there was a huge look of shock on Ryuen's face as this was said, obviously his plans hadn't gone as he thought he thought they would, I can think of an example in seconds, I switched class D's leader at the last second meaning he lost 50 points from guessing the wrong leader and losing any other points they may have gotten from guessing other classes leaders.
Katsuragi looked smug and also gave out some congratulatory words, that was until his very own sensei said his next words, "In third place with 70 points is class A!"
It was Katsuragi's turn to be shocked, again I know that my changing our classes leader took part in that negating any extra points they may have gotten, it also seems that class C and B guessed their leader correctly, despite coming third, they may have had the most embarrassing outcome.
"In second place with 225 points is; class D!" second with 225 points? How? My class only spent 175 points and we guessed 2 class leaders correctly so how did class C win with 230 or more points?
My first thought was that they had spent less than 175 points, as we didn't guess their class leader and they hadn't guessed ours or the points would be much different.
My eye caught Lucy Hall's, and there was a quite exchange of eye contact and drank water from a clearly old water bottle. She must have gotten that on the first day being here, that means that she must have saved points on drinking water by using ocean water that was sterilized. We may have done the same thing but not everyone was willing to do it so we where still spending points.
Her class from what I've seen is built on trust, and that trust goes a long way for her it seems. They may have hunted fish to eat as well, there are so many possibilities.
"In first place with 265 points is; class B!" Class B's students went mad with happiness, with one last smile Lucy Hall turned away from me.
// Lucy's POV //
It was a given that we won, I was in charge after all. After a small celebration, contributed by all in class C, everyone went to their assigned room for a good nights rest. I had paid sensei to assign me to the same room as Ichinose, so we could have private chats to win in our next special exam.
It was very late and I had woken up Ichinose, brought her outside of the room to get away from our other two room mates. I dragged her by the hand and didn't speak until we where in a room on the other side of the ship where the guest rooms are so no one would interrupt or listen in on us.
As I dragged Ichinose along with me, there was a deep red blush on my face.
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Class: A
Leader(s): Kohei Katsuragi, Arisu Sakayanagi
Class points: 1,080
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Class: B
Leader(s): Lucy Hall, Honami Ichinose
Class points: 1,045
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Class: C
Leader(s): Kakeru Ryuen
Class points: 340
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Class: D
Leader(s): Suzune Horikita, Yosuke Hirata
Class points: 314
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fumei_unknown
fumei_unknown WOW! Who saw that coming? The class with the MC in winning? Crazy!
Anyway, I bet you didn't see that ending coming with that cliffhanger huh?
Have a good day! Thanks for reading!
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