As the sun set and night came to be, Tokyo Tower was lit up as it did every night. But tonight was different. Tonight, it was lit up in Borderland.
Four people were gathered underneath the tower: a woman and three men. The woman clutched the straps of her handbag so tightly that her knuckles turned white. When she woke up that morning, she was transported to this strange land. She saw no one and only came here when the lights were turned on. And now she was alone with three men who did not particularly look friendly.
"Excuse me, can you please tell me where I am? Where did everyone else go? And what is this 'game'?"
She approached the least intimidating man of the three, asking him only three of a million questions she had in mind.
The man with glasses glanced at the woman, and scoffed.
A newcomer?
He felt sorry for her, though the sympathy did not last long. This was not a place for such emotions. As heartless as it was to say, it worked in his favour that he grouped with someone new. His chances just increased by a lot.
"This is Borderland. I have no idea where everyone else is. Any person you see or meet here arrived the same way you did. We have no idea what is going on either. As for the game..." He looked to the huge screen hanging just above their heads. "You have no choice but to play. Your life depends on it."
His answer did not help.
In fact, it confused her further and terrified her. Her life depended on the game? Was he serious?
"Tsk, where the fuck is the last player? I don't got all day waitin' 'round." A bearded man spoke, kicking at a bin in frustration.
WELCOME
GAME - JOKER
ENTRY NUMBER - FIVE
PRIZES - NONE
ENTRY PERIOD IS OVER WHEN ALL FIVE PLAYERS ARE GATHERED
It was another good ten minutes before someone finally showed up: another woman, wearing a bright red cocktail dress paired with six-inch heels. Judging from how clean her dress was, and how she still had full makeup and hair with no cuts or bruises on her, she was new too.
Glasses could not help but grin.
If this were to be a physical game, she would be the first to go.
As soon as the last person joined, the screen changed to display a playing card.
Nine of Hearts.
PLEASE PROCEED TO THE ELEVATOR
The three men moved automatically, seemingly experienced. The first woman looked to the one in the red dress but she was already heading into the elevator too. With no other choice, the first woman got in too.
They were taken all the way up to the Top Deck, and right in the centre was another screen, surrounded by five podiums.
GAME - JOKER
RULES
- EACH PLAYER WILL CHOOSE A PODIUM
- ONCE CHOSEN, PLAYERS WILL PUT A NOOSE AROUND THEIR NECK
- ON EACH PODIUM THERE IS ONE CARD, DO NOT SHOW THIS CARD TO OTHER PLAYERS
- CARDS AVAILABLE: 2 JOKERS, 1 KING, 1 QUEEN, 1 JACK, AND 1 ACE
- PLAYERS HAVE TO BATTLE EACH OTHER BUT ONLY 2 CAN BATTLE AT A TIME
- PLAYER'S CARD WILL BE REVEALED IF BATTLE LOST
- TO WIN A BATTLE, YOUR CARD MUST HOLD A HIGHER VALUE
- JOKER > KING > QUEEN > JACK > ACE
- JOKER DEFEATS ALL BUT CAN ONLY BE USED TWICE. AFTER 2 BATTLES, JOKER CAN BE DEFEATED BY ALL
- PLAYER HOLDING ACE CARD ALSO HOLDS COLOURLESS JOKER BUT CAN ONLY CHOOSE ONE OF TWO EACH ROUND
- IF TWO JOKERS MEET IN BATTLE, COLOUR JOKER WINS
- WHEN ONLY 2 PLAYERS REMAIN, IF ONE HOLDS THE ACE CARD, THEY WIN
TIME LIMIT
- NONE
GAME OVER CONDITIONS
- PLAYER LOSES BATTLE
- SHOWING YOUR CARD TO ANOTHER PLAYER
- LEAVING THE PODIUM
- INCITING VIOLENCE OF ANY KIND
GAME CLEAR CONDITION
- BE THE LAST PLAYER STANDING
GAME STARTS WHEN ALL PLAYERS ARE ON PODIUM