Bonding

“Why the hell are we back here again?” Louise seemed slightly irritated, understandably so, since I’d taken her back to the same restaurant where we’d gone on our date last time, the only difference this time is that we had Emmett. “Seriously, if I had known this would be your plan, I would have said no!”

“Don’t worry, we’re not here to eat.” I said.

“What the hell are we going to do then?” Emmett started. “I mean, why would you go to a restaurant and not eat?”

“We’re not going inside the restaurant, idiot! We’re going to an establishment under it, a private club!”

“Seriously?” Emmett exclaimed. “You have access there?”

“I don’t know…” Louise hesitated. “I’m not the biggest fan of clubs…”

“It’s not your typical nightclub.” I explained. “These people are too snobby and elitist for that. It’s more like a vip section with stuff like chess, billiards, poker, and a lot of other games available for them to flex their supposed “intellectual superiority, even though they have none.”

“That sounds nice, let’s check it out.” Emmett rushed in.

“There’s even a built in cinema to rent out, but you need to reserve that in advance, so we won’t be able to do that today, but we’ll likely have access to everything else, I think.

Sure enough, we were let in quite easily since they were part of my “entourage” and just as predicted, we had access to pretty much everything but the private cinema, which would have to wait for another time.

We were immediately given dirty looks by the usuals that resided there with their ultra expensive attire, while although we did wear suits, were pretty modest in comparison to those.

“Wanna start with a game of chess?” I asked Louise while pointing to a board that sat on a table. “There’s a free table right there.”

“Sure.” She accepted. “Get ready to get completely destroyed!”

“That’s my line.”

“Wait, what about me?” Emmett grabbed my shoulder before I managed to walk away and ditch him. “What the hell am I supposed to do while the two of you chat away and play?”

“I mean…you could just watch us play and learn the intricacies and brilliant tactics that are required when one takes up the game of chess.” Louise suggested. “Or, you could maybe go around, look for a game to play with one of these random people who would be kind enough to take you in and show you the ropes?”

“Like hell that’ll happen!” He then walked off to prove as if he didn’t need us and that he could take care of himself.

We then took a seat on opposite ends, and shook hands.

“Black or white?” She asked.

“Either one, doesn’t matter. I’ll win anyways.” I answered confidently.

“Alright, you take black then.” She said while placing the white pieces on her side of the board.

“Fine by me.”

We then started playing, neither of us saying a word as we attempted to concentrate and outwit the other. However, I quickly realized that I was in way over my head, as although I was decent at it and occasionally played, Louise really was much better than me, which wasn’t surprising at all since it was a common occurence for the wealthy to use it, so it wouldn’t have surprised me if she had been tutored and well trained.

“What was that about you winning anyway?” She taunted while delivering checkmate.

“Damn it….okay, I might have been slightly exaggerating, regarding my chess abilities.” I admitted.

“Yeah, I noticed.”

“So, do you want a rematch?” She offered.

“Nah, I’d probably lose just as easily again, let’s do something else.”

We then spent around an hour trying out the various games that were available, naturally I lost almost everything.

“Okay, so this might not have been the best idea.” I said after losing at billiards.

“Aww, did your ego take a hit?” Louise laughed as I looked away and blushed.

“It…It’s not like that!”

“Wait, what happened to Emmett?”She suddenly seemed to realize.

“Shit, I forgot about him! It was supposed to be the three of us tonight!”

We then walked around and tried to look for him, which took us a couple of minutes since the whole club was pretty big and crowded, but we finally managed to find him, he was seated with a few other people who were clearly regulars playing poker around a circular table.

“Yo, what are you doing, idiot?” I called out to him.

“From now on you must call me Lord Wilkins, fool!” He said with an air of superiority. “I do not engage with peasants!”

Of course, he immediately reverted to his actual self and profoundly apologized once Louise shot him a death glare.

A short while later, we left and I returned home. As I laid on my bed, I decided to have a talk with Arthur.

Yo, are you awake?

I can’t fall asleep idiot, I don’t have a body!

Oh, sorry. Anyways, I have a favour to ask.

I already know, you want me to fight Selphine for you again, I heard your talk with the other two.

Alright, so would you do it then?

Nah, I don’t really feel like it.

Is this about me rejecting you the other time?

Nope.

You realize if we don’t beat Selphine then you aren’t getting your body back, right? So actually, you’re being counterproductive right now by declining my offer.

I can get it back in other ways.

No you can’t, I’m calling your bluff. If you could have, you would have. You have no other choice but to help us.

I can simply do nothing and watch you die.

You’ll die too, you idiot!

A small price to pay.

A small price for what? Your ego? Is your pride really worth your life?

…No, it isn’t.

Then you’ll help me?

Alright.

Good, then let’s do the binding contract. But I want it to be slightly different this time.