Nim Type Zero
After last period Nagito corners me by my locker.
Hands slam down on either side of me the second I shut the door. I whirl around startled and before I can react further a knee slides in between my legs, effectively pinning me to the wall. My face turns red, back pressed against the wall.
I look up, tremoring slightly into the sharp stare of Nagito Komaeda. He smiles lazily at me. "Hello there~"
"What are you doing?!" I hiss, "we're in public-no-you shouldn't do this ever! Get off of me!"
He leans in closer. "Make me~"
I can feel his warm breath washing over my face. I shiver. After another second, he abruptly pushes himself off of me, yawning. "Enough fun. There's plenty of time for that when we go to our love nest~ Anyw-"
"Excuse me, our what?!"
He continues on as if I said nothing at all. "Anyways, come on! We've got to get going!"
I frown. "Huh? Where?"
He fishes his vote out of his pocket and twirls it between his fingers. "Double this a few times I suppose. Come on!"
I scratch the back of my head, slinging my bag over my shoulder. "Ah-I don't know, I'm really tired and I have a lot of homework. . ."
His eyes narrow. "Huh? Really? I thought you were one of the ones who wanted me to do this." He replies darkly. I gulp nervously. How does his personality keep changing in a split second?!
"I-I-I know, but, um, I-" I struggle, grappling for an excuse. His eyebrows lift.
"Yes?" He prompts. I groan.
"Uh-"
"Are you scared, Hajime? Of me, even? That's cute, but also kind of weak."
"What?! Absolutely not, I-"
He grabs my wrist and begins dragging me down the hall. "There's a few games of Nim Type Zero going on and we can play at the same table! Besides, I can't gamble without my Good Luck Charm!~"
Again with the change? And what did he just say?!
"What-just so I can lose my vote to you? I only have the one you know!" I protest.
"Just another vote for President Komaeda!~" He sings back, "get familiar with saying that or get familiar with being a Housepet!"
"The best we'll get out of this is three more votes, including mine. Is it really worth playing a long game for?" I complain. He grins.
"Yes. It's going to be fun! It's going to be exciting! Let's have a great gamble, Hajime!"
"Calm down." I grumble, struggling to keep up with the over-excited boy.
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Sitting at the east side of the table, I glance around at my opponents. Kaede, a blonde-haired girl that looks like she's just here to have fun, Peko, a grey-haired girl with a serious expression, and Nagito, who looked like he was about to kill someone and enjoy every second of it. And me of course, but has no idea what I'm doing.
Overseeing the game is Kirumi Tojo, a member of the Election Committee; status identified by a brooch over her heart. She takes her place behind her podium and starts to speak.
"My name is Kirumi Tojo, a member of the Election Committee. Just a reminder that all overseers will remain completely neutral and any discovered cheating will result in the player immediately being eliminated."
I stare down at the rectangular table, suddenly feeling very anxious. Nagito flashes me a reassuring smile from across the table.
"The game is Nim Type Zero with three rounds, last one standing is the victor. The four types of cards are 0, 1, 2, and three. The objective is to get up to nine, the person reaching and/or going past nine will be eliminated. We will go around the table, each person placing down one of their four cards at a time. Any questions?"
When no one asks a question she exhales deeply. "Then we'll begin round one. I'll now deal the cards."
We all place our single votes in the center of the table as Kirumi steps away from the podium and towards us, deck of brightly-colored cards in hand. She shuffles them in a professional manner before dealing to us all at random. Nagito's hands slam down on his mini pile, dragging them towards himself. He scans his line-up, eyes glimmering dangerously.
With a shiver, I glance at my own cards. Zero, two, two, zero. Not good but not bad either. I look at Peko and Kaede, both wearing incredible poker faces.
"Play will start with Pekoyama and then Komaeda then Akamatsu then Hinata and then back to Pekoyama." Kirumi sighs, leaning against her podium to watch the game play.
Peko narrows her eyes, placing down a three. Fair, probably good to get rid of the bigger numbers straight away. Although it could come back to bite her in the end. An interesting, bold choice really.
Komaeda smiles brightly and lays down a two, bringing the total to five. I'm already extremely tense, this isn't good. Kaede lays down a three leaving me no choice but to lay down one of my twos. Pekoyama frowns, laying down a zero. Komaeda, still smiling, lays down a zero of his own. Kaede, letting out a frustrated groan, slams her one on the table, bringing our total to nine.
"Akamatsu has been eliminated." Kirumi announces. The blonde stands abruptly, tucking a long corn-colored strand of hair behind her ear before storming off. Kirumi gathers all of the cards before shuffling once more.
"And then there were three~" Nagito drawls with a lazy smirk. Peko narrows her eyes. I however, sigh, knowing these two pros are about to demolish me. "Worried?" He asks me.
"No reason to." I respond, lying like heck.
"Wonderful."
Kirumi deals swiftly before stepping back once more. And just my luck, two Twos a Three and A One. I'm definitely screwed now. "Play starts with Pekoyama."
She sighs, laying down a two. Nagito in turn, lays down a three, making the total five. Knowing this isn't going to end well anyway I lay down my three, making the total eight. Peko lays down a zero. Nagito does the same, saying, "Sorry Hajime~" not sounding the least bit sorry at all.
With a sigh, I stand from my seat, setting down my Two. "Hinata has been eliminated." Kirumi announces, gathering the cards to shuffle.
"Ah, Pekoyama," Nagito says suddenly, drawing her attention, "what do you say we up the stakes a little?"
She frowns. "How so?" She asks. His smirk deepens.
"Wouldn't it be incredible to lose something important if you lost?!" He gushes, "something as important as an eye or a limb?! Or damage the other like with poison?! Or-"
"Nagito," I murmur, laying a hand on his shoulder, "calm down." He pouts.
"Poison, huh?" She muses. Nagito nods eagerly.
"You could die!" He agrees enthusiastically.
"Nagito, get a hold of yourself!" I hiss. He pats my hand.
"Don't worry, I don't have anything like that," He reassures me, "I meant something like that."
"I do." Peko speaks up. I groan.
'Peko!'
"I have a poison and it's antidote," She continues, "As well as the votes we can gamble for the antidote, loser gets the poison. Winner can decide what they want to do with it."
Nagito beams, reaching out to shake her hand. "Excellent."
Why does she even have those at school?!
"Tojo, there's no way this is allowed!" I protest. She sighs.
"Participants may up the stakes however they please." She responds.
"I'll return." Peko promises, leaving to get the liquids. I sit down across from Nagito.
"Don't do this." I demand firmly. He smiles back at me.
"No need to worry, precious Hajime, I don't intend to lose." he attests. I frown.
"I don't want you to risk getting hurt! Or worse!" I insist.
"That's gay, Hinata." He teases, leaning back in his seat. With a frustrated groan, I stand behind him, sulking. Pekoyama returns a moment later, holding two clearly-labelled vials, one in each hand. The antidote she lays in the middle of the table, setting the poison off to the side.
I fold my arms over my chest, watching Kirumi deal. And then the deathly play begins.
Peko glares at him, setting down a three. Nagito, grinning, reciprocates with one of his own, bringing the total up to six. Pekoyama looks a little worried now, gaze shifting between Nagito and her hand. Nagito has seemed to noticed as well.
"Oh? Is something the matter, Pekoyama? Got a bad hand? Scared of dying of poison? Or maybe you hate the thought of losing a gamble. Well you better not be thinking of running away or else I'll kill you." He tells her. She grits her teeth, trying to regain her composure.
"O-Of course not. Shut up!"
Peko has to have a bad hand. She's scared. If I was in her position I would be too.
"Experiencing the despair of already knowing you'll lose? Just assume you will, even? Come on, play your turn!" He demands impatiently. Peko reaches out shakily and lays down a one. Nagito's eyes brighten. "Thank you, Peko!"
He lays another one on top of hers, making it eight. Full-on trembling, she puts down a three. The total is eleven. She then bows her head, sweating nervously.
"Pekoyama has been eliminated," Kirumi announces, "Komaeda is the victor, earning three votes and the antidote. As penalty, Pekoyama must now eject herself with the poison."
"No!" Peko whispers. Nagito grins, leaning forward in his seat, sliding his winnings towards himself.
"Oh my my," He breathes," fiddling with the antidote, "interesting. Well then, Peko, don't leave us in suspense."
Beads of sweat now forming on his forehead, she picks up the syringe and stabs it into her upper-arm. When it's empty she drops it on the table, glaring at Nagito. "Now give me the antidote." She demands. Nagito grins.
"Nope~"
"No?!" Peko and I exclaim in unison.
"I'm not done playing with my toy yet~" He replies. The amount of sweat increases as the poison begins to take effect.
"Nagito, hurry up and-" I start to say but he silences me.
"Hajime, shut up or I'll smash it under my foot and slit your throat with a shard." He responds calmly. I flinch falling silent.
Peko's breathing grows a little shallower as she hunches over slightly and what does Nagito do? He's just watching her rapidly deteriorate.
"Nagito, please!" I plead. He sighs, standing and approaching Peko.
"Well, if my darling Hajime wants it so desperately. . ." He hums, injecting the antidote into Peko. Afterwards, he gathers up his votes and leaves the room.
I immediately rush to Peko's side. "I'm so sorry, I-"
"It's no problem. There's no need to hold any ill will towards Komaeda; it was the gamble after all." She tells me. I grunt.
"Still."
Peko staggers to her feet, gathers her belongings, and sweeps out of the room without a second glance. With a halfhearted wave towards Kirumi Tojo, I take my leave as well.
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"And then he withheld the antidote for like, a minute! Who even does that?! I finally get why people are so scared to gamble with him!" I rant to Chiaki and her new girlfriend (apparently.)
"He actually gave it to her, though, that's what matters. Peko is fine." Chiaki responds softly, Sonia nodding in agreement.
"They shouldn't have up the stakes like that in the first place!" I argue. Sonia sighs.
"You said Peko said we must bare no ill will against him. We must honor her wish." The blonde reminds us.
"Chiaki, Hajime, Sonia!~" A voice rings out. The three of us turn to see Nagito jogging towards us, hair bouncing, waving to us. Shuichi is struggling to keep up behind him. I let out a groan of annoyance as they join us, earning a warning look from Sonia.
"I just earned six more votes," He announces, "I now have ten."
Chiaki beams. "Nice, Nagito! We're well on our way now!"
"I hear Celestia has thirty." Shuichi tells us.
"It is fine, it's only a twenty vote difference. Besides, it is only the second official election day. There is still plenty of to overtake her." Sonia points out.
"Indeed. Let's not give up hope." Nagito agrees cheerfully.
"I suppose you'll just have to gamble more often. That's the only way." I pipe up. He smiles of me.
"I couldn't agree more."