"Apologies for not introducing myself earlier Miss (lastname), Keiichi Kuzuryū, pleasure..." The man sat beside me held his hand out for me to shake and I gripped it firmly smiling at him before assuring that "(name) is fine Kuzuryū!"
We were together travelling in one of the beach cars, only one other occupant sat in the driver's seat, but the woman didn't seem interested in talking to us. I stared at her through the rear view mirror her red lips set into a frown as she focused on the road ahead of her.
I knew the woman as Ann. When Aguni brought me to the med room to fix up my bandages a few days ago she was present in the room rifling through some shelfs. She seemed to be looking for something but when we entered, she stood up and left. He later told me her name.
I stopped thinking about this when the car pulled up outside and Ann swiftly exited the vehicle.
My injury had scabbed over now, and I no longer wore the bandage. It had healed nicely with no infection and didn't hurt anymore. This meant I could put my full weight on my ankle without discomfort and so as I exited the car, I moved just as quick as my fellow teammates.
We approached what looked like a club from the outside and as I looked up at the neon sign illuminated above it, I cringed at the name displayed:
"Vortex Vibes"
Who came up with that?
I shuddered before continuing to move into the building behind Kuzuryū who was holding the door for me. I thanked him and slipped past walking over to the table which displayed phones.
I skipped the step of reading the sign that said, "1 per person" and instantly reached for the phone. I had done these enough times (too many for my liking) to know what it was I needed to do. I snatched up the phone and the screen instantly took a facial recognition. As soon as it was done I hung my arm back down and locked eyes with the male.
"We are the first ones here..."
I hummed in agreement moving my gaze across the room. The bar was in the far-right hand corner and you instantly arrived on the dance floor as you stepped into the building. A disco ball hung in front of the door and to the far left, a stage with a pole in the middle was settled.
I huffed and walked over to the stage taking a seat on the edge of it letting my feet dangle. I stared at the ground in thought when I spotted something. On the dancefloor, tiny sections were marked out, messing up the pattern of the wood. I found this peculiar and so reached down to touch it when the door slammed open.
A few teens bustled into the room, loudly chattering and screaming amongst themselves. Just as the door was about to shut a girl walked in with wide eyes and a blank look. She had blood splattered up one side of her body and the closer I looked, it appeared she was shivering.
I sighed in sympathy before moving off the dancefloor to stand with the two beach executives.
As I approached I stood in front of them both interrupting their conversation with my presence.
"Something is up with the floor" I stated pointing behind me to the wooden dance space. "It seems to be cut into segments... might be something to do with our game?"
I shrugged my shoulders as Ann lifted herself to full height to address me.
"Well noticed. If the floor comes into play during the game, you have my automatic recommendation to Hatter."
My eyes scrunched up as I gazed confusedly between her and Kuzuryū trying to understand what she said.
"(name)," Started the man "This is a test from the Hatter to se if you are a good candidate to become an executive at the Beach."
"Your last game with Aguni was a test," interrupted Ann eyeing me up "he approved however due to him wanting you as militant at the Beach he sent us to re-test you for becoming one of us."
As she finished talking a look of realisation drew across my features as the feminine automated voice rung around the room.
*Registration is now closed. The game will commence shortly*
I lifted my phone up to my face to read the screen. 8 players were in the game.
*Game: Snap! 5 of clubs
Rules: the interactive floor will appear with the snap cards faced down. Each turn step onto the cards you want to overturn. If you get a snap, those cards will be out of the game. I you fail one life gets taken away form you. Each player will be given 4 lives.
Clear condition: remove all cards from the playing field*
Once the voice finished speaking a bright light lit up the room and I flung around to be faced with the dance floor displaying the cards facing upwards.
The cards didn't fill the whole space and there seemed to be walkways in between each of the cards.
Every segment displayed a different card in a deck. But only the diamonds were displayed. 26 cards faced upwards a duplicate for each, and they ascended in numerical order.
I tuned around to face Ann with a knowing look. I had been right about my theory with the floor and her mouth upturned in a slight smile as my face turned once again to face the floor.
*Now shuffling the deck*
The cards all flew into the middle of the floor and flipped to be face down before randomly shuffling themselves and finally dispersing back into each segment.
I took a deep breath before readying myself for further instruction.
*Each player step onto a card. The number on your unknown card will correspond with the order in which you play. Whoever had the lowest number to begin with will automatically loose a life*
I sighed before moving over to the floor. I stepped around the cards being sure not to accidentally select a card I didn't want to pick and finally settled on the card closest to the bar. I turned around to face my fellow player to see one of the rowdy boys from earlier pick the card opposite from me. Ann had gone for a central card and Kuzuryū was close to the door.
*Look at your phones to reveal the order in which you will play*
I peered down and sighed a breath of relief to see that my name wasn't at the top of the list. But Ann's was. I gasped and looked up at her only to see the same placid expression as always. Kuzuryū looked mildly concerned but eventually returning his gaze back to his phone.
I had ranked 5th and Kuzuryū 6th. It would be a while before we play.
*Rizuna Ann ranked 1st. Minus one life*
Ann sighed and dropped the arm carrying her phone beside her while the voice continued.
*Every player step off your chosen card. The cards you have chosen will now be revealed. *
A two, four, five, seven, nine and jack had all been revealed along with 2 eights.
Me and Kuzuryū had stepped on the same cards. This meant Ann could make a match on her first go! She wouldn't have to lose another life. Just before the cards were turned over again, I made a mental note of where each card had been placed and what number it displayed.
They flipped over and Ann was instructed to take her turn. Naturally she walked towards Kuzuryū, stepping on his previous card before walking over to me and stepping on one in front of me. Once she had stepped on them, they highlighted in green and flipped over displaying the two eight of diamonds.
*eight of diamond match made. Now removing the eight of diamonds. Step off the cards. *
Ann backed onto the path just as the floor space that once displayed the cards opened revealing a dark drop. I peered down into it, not being able to see to the bottom and shivered, backing away slightly.
*Now ranking number 2. Take your turn*
The girl who looked dead inside stared moving around slowly. Deciding to step two cards that had not yet been revealed. As she moved back onto the path the highlighted green cards flipped to reveal a queen and an ace.
As the voice took away a life from the girl, she sighed seemingly uncaring of it being taken away.
I shook my head before watching the next people take their turns. The 3rd stepped on his previous card and a random one which revealed a five and a three.
As the automated voice snatched away one of his lives he shouted. Seemingly angry with the outcome of the round.
His shout echoed around the room as his friend took the next turn. Stepping once again on his own card and a new one. This displayed a seven and a two.
My eyes lit up as I saw this, silently rejoicing.
Ann's first card had been a two and now the second one had been found. No lives would be taken from me. I walked along the path towards Ann's original spot and placed both my feet atop that segment before stepping off and standing on top of the other two.
Once they revealed and displayed both the twos. The voice rung out *two of diamonds match made. Now removing 2 of diamonds. Step off the cards. *
They were both removed.
The game went on like this for 3 more turns. Most cards had now been revealed. The lives of most players were very low, but no one had died yet. Ann and I had 2 remaining lives Kuzuryū was left with 1. During the game we had started to help each other. If one person had remembered a card, they would share with the rest of the players. This strategy allowed us to clear many cards together without loosing lives. We now knew the positions of every card on the board (apart from 2) which meant that we could clear the game without any deaths as long as a person with multiple lives reveal the final two cards.
The upcoming player had only 1 life remaining. It was the traumatised looking girl. She solemnly moved around the floor, standing on one of the unturned cards.
I gasped at her stupidity. As a group we had agreed to leave me to turn over these cards as I was the next player with 2 lives left but now, she had selected one of them.
She now only had a 50/50 chance of guessing what was displayed underneath the unturned card. Either the seven or the King. I watched with bated breath as she approached me. I was stood next to the King that I had overturned on my last go, and as she drew nearer, I started to speak to her.
"Why would you step on that card? We agreed as I group, I was going to do that..." She didn't reply just kept walking closer. "Now you must guess... if I remember correctly the seven was over in that corner." I pointed to the far-right corner of the floor where one of the men was standing and her confirmed my statement by nodding his head in agreement.
"The King is next to me. So now you have to choose."
She had made her way right in front of me know and I could hear her shuddered breath due to our proximity. She looked me dead in the eye before moving swiftly away from me and across the floor. I could see her target and called out for her to stop but it was too late. She stood atop the final unturned card.
I gaped as she smiled for the first time since she got here and let out a content sigh. The cards turned over as she continued to stand on her card. It displayed the seven of diamonds.
*Minus 1 life*
The girl giggled before the laser shot down through her skull. The hole in the ceiling hissed as her body crumpled to the floor still on top of her card. Just then, the floor below her opened and her body fell through the floor and landed below the surface.
It made a sickening crunch, and a hand flew to my mouth to cover my shock. I can't believe it...
~
The car ride back was silent as no one moved to make conversation, and only when we parked up did Ann speak.
"Congratulations (name), out praises of you will be heard by Hatter later this evening..."
The pair walked out of the car park together leaving me alone with my thoughts to walk back to my room.