This is really just a random idea that came to me. I blame my obsessive Mario Kart playing for this and my desire of having Naegi and Komaeda in the same place. So for the sake of the story, let's pretend Mario Kart 8 already existed whenever the pre-game events is meant to happen. Along with the two of them already knowing each other. Anyhow, I hope you enjoy this.

Date Published: 4/19/15
Word Count: 4,825
Page Count: 7

A Lesson in Luck

Naegi has had many moments in his life where he would ponder about his luck. He was given the title as the Ultimate Lucky Student by a school specialized in training high school students with great skills in a certain field. For him though, he often found himself down on his luck and feeling out of place among his fellow students. After all, how could luck be considered a great skill since he didn't have to do anything to get it? Many of his fellow students had to work hard to get to the academy, but all he had to do was win a lottery. The trade off just didn't seem even to the well natured boy.

The brunette would often trip over nothing, his shoes enjoyed falling off and running away for some reason, and he usually had to deal with people's shenanigans when he was busy. Over all, his luck was bad, but in a generally harmless way. It wasn't like he had to worry about someone getting killed because of it. So he would always wonder if his luck would ever help him out. His title had to mean something, he was given it for a reason. He had hoped that one day his luck would help him out in something, anything really. Mario Kart 8 was just another one of those many things where his luck was nowhere to be seen when he needed it the most.

He was in the recreation room with his fellow lucky student and senpai, Komaeda. The older boy approached him earlier that day and asked him to play the newest Mario Kart game with him. It wasn't anything new, considering Komaeda didn't get along very well with his classmates because of his constant hope and despair ramblings. Naegi though had no problem being friends with him. There was more to him than his obsession, yet his classmates didn't even want to try to discover it. Besides, he was just one of those nice guys who got along with everyone he knew. He was a rare breed of human; always willing to help those around him despite their problems. Even if they tried to push him away, he just wouldn't disappear.

Naegi of course had no reason to reject the invitation since he enjoyed hanging out with Komaeda and replied with a simple sure. He might be odd, and loved hope a little too much, but he wasn't a bad person. Naegi wasn't an expert with video games, but he could play them thanks to his little sister always asking him to play with her. Not only that, but he found gaming to be more enjoyable when he was playing with other people.

His sweaty hands grasped the black pro controller tightly as he leaned his small body forward towards the TV screen. The two have already been playing for a long time and he lost count of how many courses they did. It was just recently that the school upgraded the rec room and bought them the latest Nintendo console and a large HD TV, and the students enjoyed using it. Which wasn't surprising since there really wasn't nothing else they could use to keep them entertained for long periods of time. Sure, they could play pole or darts, but video games would be less repetitive for some of the students. Even so, some complained they would have preferred a PS3, but Headmaster Kirigiri didn't want them playing anything extremely violent. Though it was speculated that Ishimaru complained that violent video games were not welcomed in a school environment and showed him only violent first person shooters for the console.

Naegi's eyes were glued to the screen as he made a sharp bend while also getting a small speed boost. He then made another turn before he hit an item box and received a useless coin. He was close to the finish line on the Yoshi Circuittrack, and was in second place after getting three mushrooms and zooming past the other players. He was just so close to getting to the goal. With just a few more seconds he would be through the finish line! He was filled both joy and anxiety as he made his way to the end of the track with his fellow drivers hot on his track.

And then came a babomb in his line of sight. His cheer of victory vanished from his body as the little thing exploded with him in its range. There ladies and gentleman, went his second place. Five players flew past him, and in about three seconds he was able to claim his seventh place standing, one up from being in last place in their current room.

His head dropped slightly with disappointment as a sigh left from his mouth, "I was so close that time." He could just hear his VR points dropping, something that was happening a lot that day. By the time he was done playing, he thought he wouldn't have any points left. How often did people have no points at all? This was a kid's game, and he couldn't keep up with the other new players. Maybe more practice would solve his dilemma?

"Come on Naegi, it isn't that bad," spoke Komaeda as he placed a hand on the younger boy's shoulder. The brunette turned his head upwards to look at his senpai, who looked like he was toying with him rather than trying to comfort him, "You just need to keep on trying. You have to have hope to carry on through the game to get better. If you don't, the game will just throw you into an irritated hole of despair. No sane person wants to be stuck in that."

That was coming from the guy who was currently in first place with a high score. Naegi still couldn't understand why he would bring up despair and hope all the time, but he would go along with it anyway. Komadea's luck was totally different then his. Somehow he would get pounded in the beginning of the race and then miraculously get great items and would rarely get hit by anything. By the end of the race, he was always in the top five. Much unlike himself, since he was mainly stuck at the bottom of the list. He also didn't expect him to be this good at games, which made his losing streak even worse. At least they weren't gambling or he would be totally screwed. He would be out of all his money, valuable possessions, and probably his clothes.

"I have hope, don't worry Komaeda-senpai. It's just annoying to be losing so much," replied Naegi, "Though I just need to keep trying!" He responded with a smile that time. It was annoying to lose so much, but he just needed to practice some more. Komadea just had more experience than him, and after a while he was sure he would get better! Practice does make perfect after all! Luck may be a part of the game when it comes to getting items in its broken system, but skills are just as important.

"That's good," he responded while pulling his hand away and clicking on the random icon on the touch screen for the next round. The duo was playing worldwide, and there was only eight people in their current room. Naegi was using Toad, one of the light weight characters while Komadea was using the medium weight Luigi. The two both decided to use bikes rather than karts because they enjoyed the feel to them better.

"Cheep Cheep Beach huh?" spoke Naegi in a hopeful voice as he waited for the race to start, "I'll be able to do better this time, I'm sure. The stage doesn't have anywhere for you to fall off of after all. It isn't that hard."

Well into the race he was doing well. He managed to avoid another explosion, much unlike his senpai who was directly in it. He got three mushrooms to do the short cut through the water he learned about from the last time they played the course, and got a good lead. In lap two though he got shoved back a good bit, but with his hope he managed to get a star before a lightning bolt went off and got into first towards the end of lap three.

"Yes! I did it!" he yelled happily as he rode off to the finish line, "Finally, I'll get in first!" His eyes where sparkling brightly as he rode the small creature towards their victory. He hadn't gotten into first for the whole duration of their play time, but there he was. He could finally achieve his current desire of being in first place, thanks to hope and luck.

Then that pulse raising, demonic, alarm went off. His cheer faded away and was replaced by terror as he saw that dreaded blue shell coming his way. The evil thing that would sometimes hit people (seriously Nintendo, fix that!) before finally hitting the person in first place. Then the violent blue explosion went off on top of poor Toad and sent him to a deadly stop. Naegi couldn't help but let out a grunt of, "Really? I was about to win! Why does bad things already happen when I'm about to win?"

When he finally got to the finish line, that wasn't that far away from him, he was in sixth place. All of the other players somehow got great items to leave him in their dust, well, dirt in this case. As the rankings appeared on screen, he saw his score tumble downwards some more while Komadea, who came in second, go up cheerfully.

"Well Naegi, it seems that you have no control over your luck, nor do you know anything about how luck operates" spoke his senpai while turning his head over to him. The mousey lucky fellow looked back, waiting for him to continue on, "You need to hone your luck skills by knowing how it works. Then, you can learn how to use it for your own advantage."

"How exactly do I hone my luck, huh? It seems to be completely random and inconvenient for me," he explained while the screen popped up for the course selection. He knew Komadea had an understanding of how his luck worked. Bad things would happen to him, mostly minor things throughout the day, and then somehow something really good would happen. Sometimes his luck seemed bad to the people around him, but really it was working for him and him alone. Naegi's luck had no pattern. Things would just kind of happen and that would be it. Sometimes he would have something good happen, but that was rare.

"You need to pay attention to how things occur. If something bad happens, you need to keep track of it, and then you could use it for your own advantage. After all the bad things pile up, something good will happen to you. Sometimes the price you pay is high for that good thing to happen, but in the end it'll help you despite its drawbacks. For every good thing, something bad must happen to even it out. While I'm not sure exactly how your luck works, I'm sure there are bound to be similarities. After all, all luck must be exchanged evenly between good luck and bad luck in this world of hope and despair," explained Komadea in a serious tone. He looked distant, as if he was recalling something horrible from his past. Something that changed everything he once knew and turned him into the thing he is now.

Neagi had no chance to reply to his words before the next course was chosen, Rainbow Road. Like some of its relatives in the series, Rainbow Road could be a death trap depending on one's weight class. Light weights of course had the highest chance of being shoved off the course and into space before being saved by Lakitu. Even though the smaller boy wished to speak, he turned his head to the screen to pay attention to the game. If he did say something, what would it be? He sounded like he was speaking from experience, but should he really pry into his past? If it was something tragic, would Komaeda even tell him anything?

The room had gained more players since the last round, and the majority of them where heavy weights. Bowsers, Rosalina's, a Wario, with a few medium weights. He was unfortunately the lone light weight character, and it showed very quickly. Within the first few seconds, a player slammed him off the side and sent him hurdling downwards.

"Well, I'm not surprised," he spoke, his eyes slightly turning over to Komaeda. He was watching the game seriously, but his eyes looked as if his mind was focused on something else. He hands where controlling his character without a problem, but he looked like he just wasn't all there. Neagi then looked back at his own half of the screen as Toad was placed back onto the track. He did the best he could, but no matter how much he tried, he would get slammed. Red shells would smack him as soon as he got in front of someone, a random thunder bolt went off, and people loved trying to shove him off the road.

"I thought this was kart racing, not bumper cars," he mumbled as he watch the small mushroom get hit by a random ricocheted green shell. Soon enough he got to the end of the track in dead last, all the while Komaeda managed to come in first. He had little trouble in the beginning of the race, and managed to get to the front by the start of the second lap.

When the course selection screen appeared once more, Naegi spoke up, "For something good to happen, something bad must first take place. So does that mean by me losing this whole time will result in me winning as long as I remember that something good will eventually happen?" he asked. His luck was bound to be different, but the ground work could be similar. Something bad needs to happen to be exchanged for something good to happen. His bad luck always resulted in minor injuries or a small headache, and then at times he would get to win something. That was how he got to the academy in the first place.

"Yes, that's right. So now Naegi, keep that in your mind. Remember that no matter how much you lose, no matter how many bad things happen to you, something good will come from it. Even so, there will be some sort of consequence for your luck to cycle from bad to good," he responded, the tone was a little lighter than it was before, "It's like hope. Sometimes to gain even more hope, you must suffer in despair for a while. Then when you raise up from it, the hope is much more powerful."

"Alright, I'll remember that," he replied, his tongue hesitant to ask what could have caused him to change his behavior so suddenly. He wanted to help him, but he couldn't ask him at that moment. They would just be interrupted by the game, and if he turned it off suddenly Komaeda might find it rude. He might not even want to explain his background to Naegi. He was his senpai he would occasionally talk to. They couldn't be considered close friends in the slightest. Even so, he wanted to try some way to get him to open up. Komaeda looked out for him, and he wanted to repay the favor by listening to his plights.

"Moo Moo Meadows, this one shouldn't be too hard for you as long as you don't hit a cow. If you do, I might have to report you to Tanaka, he doesn't approve of animal abuse, be it real or virtual," he joked. Yet Naegi couldn't tell if he was truly joking or trying to fool the younger boy.

The course began just moments after that comment, and off they went. Inside the brunette's mind he remembered that no matter how much bad luck he has, something good was bound to happen. The only thing he questioned though, what would that consequence be? If he does win, obviously other people's score would drop and they would get depressed or irritated. Even so, this was just a fun game to keep one entertained. Nothing that happens in the game will truly affect the people playing it in real life. Yet, how would things go when that exchange of good and bad luck happens in the real world? By him winning the lottery and getting into Hope's Peak, could he have ruined another person's chance of getting in? If his luck helps him, it destroys something for another person he never met.

Somehow, with his mind focused on their hope and luck discussion, Naegi managed to get past the other players. He would get the right items at the right time. When he got a red shell, the person in front of him got a useless coin. Swoosh went the shell, bam went the kart, and vroom went his bike. He swerved around the cows without much problem, and was given a banana peel as a form of much needed defense when one was in the lead. Before he knew it, he was past the finish line with the knowledge that he came in first place for the first time.

"Yes, I did it!" he exclaimed happily, "I finally did it! I managed to not only win, but come in first place!" His cheers of joys were expected considering his previous loosing streak. Then his eye scanned the listing and saw that his senpai was second to last. He turned his head quickly over to him, surprised how the person who was doing so great the whole time managed to get such a low ranking.

"Like I said Naegi, when your good luck kicks in, there must be a consequence. You might have finally won, but I lost my good standing for the round. That is the very nature of our luck," he responded simply, as if that was his plan the whole time. That he wanted to teach the younger boy who had the same skill as him the way luck worked in their world. How sometimes you might get something, but the cost of it reminds you that it might have not been worth it. That if you had any control over it, you would have never wanted it in the first place.

"This isn't a big deal though, since this is just a simple game. Though you should keep this in mind, because some day your luck could give you something that may be beneficial, but the exchange for it may be painful. So painful that it could lead you to believe that death might be the best thing."

Those words where painful for Naegi to hear. To see his senpai, who believed so full heartedly that hope is the only thing to defeat despair, was drowning in his own pain of the title he had to carry with him every day of his life. He wanted to teach him that luck could both create and destroy. He had never seen what type of pain Komaeda's luck has created, but whatever it was, it had to be excruciating. That was why he wanted to listen to him. To help him. To tell him that it was alright for him to let others know about his pain. Even if no one else would listen, he would be there for the person who was looking out for him. To stay by his side to support him through all of his ramblings and pain.

Before Naegi had the chance to speak, he heard the door open and a familiar voice echoed into the room cheerfully, "Hey Nagito, there you are! I've been looking all over for you, you know? Did you forget you were going to hang out with me today?"

"Oh, that's right," started the white haired boy while exiting out of the online mode and turning his head towards the visitor with a twisted smile on his face, "How could I ever forget about our promise? I was so busy teaching Naegi about the way our luck works in this world while having some fun, I must have lost track of time."

"Nah, that's alright," replied the voice as the person walked into the room and up to where they were sitting, "I can see how you got distracted. I mean, I would too if I got some time to play with adorable little Makoto. He's a great guy to hang out with, isn't he? He's so much different than everyone else in class. No matter who it is, he's willing to talk to them and help them solve their problems. People like him are so rare these days."

"He is. I mean, he even puts up with horrible trash like me. While everyone else in my class doesn't pay any attention since they know I'm worthless, he decides to take pity on me. On some who isn't worth anything at all, someone who is better off living in a trash bin than an actual building meant for normal, worthy people. It's truly spectacular to spend my time around someone who is so kind, so trustworthy, and so very hopeful," explained Komaeda in an unnervingly twisted voice Naegi had never heard before. It was as if the person he knew was replaced by some abnormal anomaly that just looked like his friend.

Naegi turned to the other person and asked in a voice filled with uncertainty, "I didn't know you were friends with Komaeda, Enoshima." It was certainly odd, the pink haired girl was usually joking around with the other girls of the class. He never expected her to talk with Komaeda, considering the way he rambles on and on. He though she would find him annoying and tell him to screw off or something. Even so, the way he was acting around her was not normal. He had never heard him call himself trash or worthless before. It was as if she had an effect on him, transforming the lonely hope lover into some self-hating maniac.

"Of course I am. I'm actually friends with all of our upperclassman," she explained with a hand on her hip and a smile on her face, "Though Komaeda is the most interesting personally. He's like, really unique when it comes to his views on hope. I didn't even know there were people who thought like him at all."

"While you on the other hand, your ideals on despair are just as fascinating," he explained while getting up and then looking back at Naegi, "I'll talk with you some other time, alright? Just remember what I said about luck, you may never know when it might show up. To both you, a wonderful person, and to me, a worthless person."

He wanted to speak, but the atmosphere the two were creating prevented him from doing so. Something about these two being together where clashing, like putting together two different types of chemicals that could explode at any moment because of their different properties. Yet he couldn't put his finger on why they could create such a destructive combination. All he could tell was that they were giving off nothing more than malicious vibes that could make him nauseas.

"Yeah, and I'll see you in class tomorrow! Maybe next time we could all play something together!" she spoke chipperly as she began to walk back towards the door with Komaeda following behind her like an obedient dog.

"That would be interesting. Who do you think would win, you or me?" asked Komaeda in the same odd voice he was using. Something was just so disturbing about it, and his eyes where frightening to look into. It looked like they were enveloped by a deranged fog that could destroy anything that came into contact with it.

"Now that's a good question. Even I can't say for sure who would win," she responded happily, as if she didn't sense a single thing wrong with the white haired boy. As if their conversation, horrific ambiance, and overall clashes between the two was perfectly normal.

They were about to exit through the door when Naegi was finally able to speak up, feeling the dreaded atmosphere leaving the room, "Komaeda-senpai, if you ever need to talk to anyone about something, you know I'm here to help, alright? You're always trying to help me understand my luck and what not, so if you ever need to listen, I'm here. By the way, I don't think your trash. You're a good person, even if you can be odd at times. You shouldn't insult yourself like that." He said those words so clearly, but he still felt something wrong oozing from the two. A type of emotion that wasn't compatible with the person is he whatsoever.

Komaeda turned his head back to the boy and with that deranged sneer and he replied, "That's just so kind of you. You are too nice to a piece of trash like me, but I appreciate the sentiment. If I feel like it, I may talk with you. Perhaps you may get lucky."

Before anything else could be exchanged, Enoshima grabbed Komaeda's hand and entwined her fingers with his and spoke in a voice mixed with annoyance and abhorrence, "Now now, don't go stealing him from me. You can talk with him later, but it's like my turn right now. You don't want me, to like do anything to you, right Makoto?" He couldn't tell if she was playing around, or actually threating him. He was never able to read her that well, and he didn't want to test her patience. There was just something about her that was different compared to the others in his class.

With one final look from the upperclassman which was a mix of disturbed and shaken beyond belief the two left the room, leaving Naegi dumbfounded. He had no clue what just happened, but he didn't like it. The way Komaeda behaved was totally uncalled for, and he never though he would ever act like that. He had never behaved that way around him, or anyone else for that matter before. He was always going on about hope, not about him being trash. That was the reverse of hope, the thing he loved so much. That was the despair he wanted to defeat so badly. Enoshima was obviously the cause for his sudden change in demeanor. He just didn't have any explanation for it. It was like they were waging a war against each other, yet she somehow managed to bewitch him to stay by her side despite their differences. He stared at the door for a while pondering what he should do.

"There really isn't anything for me to do, is there?" he mumbled lowly. He couldn't spy of them because he had no reason to do so and it was rude. Plus, he would have no clue how Enoshima would react if she saw him. He would be lying if he said she didn't frighten him moments ago. It was just so bazar, so different from the way she acted in class. The two were acting weird, but the two where normally like that anyway. Almost everyone in the school had their own quirk, and he was used to it by now. Perhaps it was just the way they acted together?

"He went willing with her, so it's going to be okay. If something really wrong was going on, he would have put up a fight against going with her," he continued while returning his gaze to the TV screen before him, "I'll just ask him about it later. He has no reason to lie to me. We're friends after all."

He decided to leave it be and go back to playing the game. The aura they gave off was menacing and he felt something just wasn't right, but he had faith. He knew he could have confidence in his friend who was trying to help him out. He gave his ear to him when others didn't want to. He was willing to hang out with him when no one else wanted to. He figured that he would tell him when he was ready. After all, besides being friends, "We're both Ultimate Lucky Students. We stick together and believe in each other. I have hope that he will tell me what that was all about when he's willing too. That's what it means to have hope in the world and in the people you care about after all."

Well, this is entirely different than what I intended. This was meant to be cheerful and funny, but it turned into this. Whatever this is. I have no clue what this is. I don't really care for this, but oh well. I feel like the interactions are off, and the ending doesn't make much sense, but that could be me since in canon they haven't had a conversation at all that the player knows of. Oh well, I hope at least someone enjoyed this. And of course please review whatever this is.