The Third Task, Part One
“Welcome to the final task!” Sebastian announced in Victorian English to the eagerly awaiting crowd. “You’ve all been waiting for this. I know how you must feel. I can’t wait to leave either. I want to go home to my cats. But we’ll get through this, as a butler, I promise this to you.” The crowd went wild. “The final task is this, a game of rock paper scissors. This is an extremely difficult mind game, and was influential in the development of martial arts. Prepare yourself for an exciting finale.
“The rules of the game are that the competitors that have the lowest ranking so far in the Triwizrd Tournament will play against each other first. Yuki and Leorio will be playing first. Yuki has consistently had the lowest ranking through the tournament, ranking him third. Though Nekozawa and Leorio are currently tied in the rankings, Leorio’s loss in the rock paper scissors match in the competitor’s tent partaken about five minutes ago means he will be competing in the first round.”
Leorio and Yuki emerged from the tent and took their places at the center to the stadium. A camera enlarged the action onto the big screen, allowing the thousands of students watching to all see. The anticipation built upon seeing their grisly expressions.
Leorio was sweeting a bit, but was trying to keep confident. He was sure he could win, especially after witnessing Yuki’s pitiful display in the last task. He glanced at the boy’s face, expecting to see his trademark tears and snot, but was surprised to see a smug spread across his face. Leorio frowned. How had Yuki suddenly gained so much confidence? Was he that assured in his abilities of rock paper scissors? Leorio was beginning to worry. He hadn’t played the game all that much; his husband was too good at the tactical game and after crying upon his every loss, Kurapika stopped playing it with him.
Yuki was crying in his sole. But on the outside, he knew he had to remain calm. Although Yuno couldn’t help him during the task, she had provided him with a script to follow to ensure his victory. The script outlined what he had to do and say – Yuno ordered he had to maintain a guise of confidence to derail the other competitors. Yuki was determined to win. If could survive, he will become the god of the new world, and bring his beloved parents back, along with Akise and his other friends who had unfortunately passed away after he killed them.
The arrogance was all a façade, but he knew this was the only way to win. Rock paper scissors was a mind game after all.
“Leorio,” Yuki began. “I’m going to win. I have a future diary. I know all your moves.” With that, he flipped out his flip phone. Yuno had paid for his phone bill as a reward for coming out of the last task alive, and now his future diary was BACK!
Leorio began to sweet more. It dawned upon him that Yuki was right. Leorio’s lack of tact was no match for Yuki and his future diary, regardless of how dumb Yuki was. The flip phone was really his saving grace.
But Leorio couldn’t let Kurapika down. ‘He’s relying on me! As is the rest of the school! Killua, and the dead Gon! They need to me to win for them! So I’ll try my best!’
“Let the match begin,” Sebastian announced. “Best two out of three!”
Leorio and Yuki turned to each other. Yuki’s smirk was enlargened on the big screen. “Rock paper scissors!” they shouted in unison.
Leorio panicked, and played rock. Yuki smirked. His future diary was correct! He played paper.
“One point to Yuki!”
“Oh no!” cried Kurapika. “My mans!” He could see the tears pooling in Leorio’s eyes and wanted nothing more than to hug the pain away. He didn’t even care if his boi won anymore. He just wanted him BACK.
“Rock paper...” Leorio and Yuki started to shout again for the second turn.
Yuki glanced at his future diary. It said Leorio wouldn’t play a hand. He smirked. Was the man so unsettled by him that he had been too scared to play? His future diary told him to play scissors, so he did.
"scissors!" they finished.
Yuki looked down at their hand, ready to celebrate his win. But Leorio’s hand wasn’t there! It had disappeared, with a faint aura glow surrounding it. Yuki gasped. Yuno gasped. Mori gasped.
This time, it was Leorio’s time to smirk. “You may have your future diary to help you, but I have help too, from my husband Kurapika. He knew how bad I am at this game, from experience. But he knew that your future diary was based on your perception, so if you didn’t see what I play then you couldn’t predict it. And by nen ability makes this very convenient, because I can use a wormhole to teleport my hand.”
With this knowledge, Yuki’s face grew grim. This Kurapika was dangerous!
“Look behind you,” Leorio told him.
Yuki turned, and saw Leorio’s armless, disconnected hand floating there, his hand clasped in a fist. Rock!
“One point to Leorio! The contestants are now tied. This will be the deciding match to see who reaches the final to play off against Nekozawa.”
Yuki gulped, holding back the tears. Then he turned and glanced at Yuno, who watched him in the crowd. She smiled encouragingly. He nodded back. As long as he stuck to the script she gave him, he could still win.
He plastered the smirk back on his face, and looked up at Leorio, trying to look at confident and arrogant as he could. It seemed to work, judging by leorio’s expression.
“That was a noice trick, Leorio. But it won’t work again. I’ll tell you why.” He dropped the future diary on the floor, no longer needing it. “I’m going to play rock.” Leorio gasped. “Ready?” Yuki continued, “rock... papper... scissors!”
Yuki’s hand began to move, but time seemed to slow down for Leorio. ‘Is he bluffing? Why would he tell me the truth? Unless it was a double bluff?!?’ Leorio was panicking, his eyes bulging, sweet pouring down his face, his heart racing. ‘No, he has to be lying, he knows I’ve only been playing rock so far, which means he must be going with paper! So I’ll play scissors and beat him!’
Leorio placed his hand out, playing scissors. He looked at Yuki’s. He was playing rock!
“Another point to Yuki! Yuki wins in a two to 1 lead! Will the contestant please leave the stage and prepare for the next match!”
Leorio slumped in defeat. He had failed the school. Kurapika met him at the tent, and patted him on the back.
“Do you still love me?” Leorio asked.
Kurapika sighed. “You’ve let me down Leorio. You’ve let the school down. But most of all… you’ve let yourself down.”
Leorio slumped his shoulders.
“But I’m still your husband, for better or for worse.” Kurapika, regardless of what he said, was secretly glad that Leorio was back in his arms out of harms way. But saying so would be too revealing.