[ MetsubouJinrai Hideout ]
The room is dimly lit, with a round wooden table placed at the center. The air is heavy with the scent of old leather, faint traces of incense, and the deep hum of technology.
Akira, Amethyst, Adam, and Onyx are gathered around, a deck of cards spread out in front of them. Ark, their AI dealer, hovers over the table, its glowing red interface blinking ominously.
Akira sits back in his chair, his fingers casually drumming the table, his eyes flicking between his cards and the others.
His long black-and-white hair hangs loosely around his shoulders, and his gaze, both sharp and calculating, never leaves the table.
Amethyst smirks as she examines her hand. Her red eyes glint with amusement, her synthetic skin moving fluidly beneath the leather jacket.
The faint hum of her mechanical joints is almost inaudible in the tense silence.
Amethyst: "You guys are getting too comfortable. Looks like I'm about to win again." She twirls a card between her fingers, her lips curling into a playful grin as she places a pile of chips in front of her.
Onyx, sitting opposite Akira, lets out an aggressive growl as he folds his hand, not even bothering to hide his frustration. His lion-like tail flicks behind him in agitation.
Onyx: "Tch, this game's rigged. This is nonsense."
Adam leans back in his chair, still holding onto his cards but clearly growing frustrated. His mismatched eyes flicker from Amethyst's smirk to Akira's unreadable expression.
He shrugs, tossing his cards face down into the center of the table.
Adam: "I'm out." He sighs, clearly not enjoying the game but still trying to keep his cool. The faint flicker of red around his sclera contrasts with his calm voice.
Amethyst: "What's the matter, Adam? Scared you're gonna lose to a lady?"
She taunts him, her voice dripping with amusement, though her gaze remains locked on Akira. "I'll give you credit, though—Akira's got nothing on me."
Akira: "Oh? You sure about that?" Akira's tone is cool, almost bored as he looks at his cards. He taps the table with his fingers before placing a substantial pile of chips in front of him.
"All in." He leans back, his smirk barely visible beneath the layers of dark eyeliner, his eyes now fixed on Amethyst.
Amethyst freezes, her hand mid-air as she stares at Akira, her expression faltering for a split second.
She had been sure of her victory, but now—Akira—the one who had been so calm, so detached the entire time—was all in.
The tension in the room grows thick, and even Ark seems to pause, its glowing binary digits flickering erratically as it analyzes the situation.
Ark: "Calculating probabilities... High chance of deception... Low chance of victory for Akira... Estimated outcome: uncertain."
Amethyst narrows her eyes, the faintest hint of uncertainty crossing her features. She stares at her cards again, the mental gears turning. After a long pause, she places her own hand of cards face down with an exaggerated sigh.
Amethyst: "Well, I guess I'll just have to let you think you've won this time. But don't get cocky, Akira."
Akira leans forward, his expression darkening with a hint of malice, as if he relishes the moment. The cards in his hand are shuffled once more, his eyes never leaving hers.
Akira: "It's not about being cocky, Amethyst. It's about knowing when to end the game."
A beat passes as the tension stretches, almost painfully, until Akira dramatically flips his cards over with a flourish. His smirk deepens as he reveals the perfect combination—*A Royal Flush*.
Akira: "I told you. I've already won."
The atmosphere is heavy with a mix of awe and disbelief. Even Ark's red binary digits flicker faster in a silent acknowledgment of the perfect hand Akira has just laid down.
Amethyst 's expression shifts to one of surprise, quickly masked by a forced laugh as she leans back in her chair, crossing her arms with feigned casualness.
Amethyst: "Well... fine. Guess I underestimated you." Her voice is tinged with both respect and frustration, her red eyes glinting as she gives him a half-smile.
"But this isn't over, Akira. I'll get you next time."
Akira doesn't respond immediately, simply pulling his chips towards him, his smile never fading. He leans back in his chair, his eyes scanning the others with a quiet, smug confidence.
Akira: "Next time, maybe you'll learn not to underestimate me. I'm not just a bounty hunter."
Onyx growls under his breath, still not pleased with his early fold. He stares at Akira with a mix of admiration and begrudging respect, his hand resting on his lion's tail.
Onyx: "You got lucky this time. Don't think I'll go easy on you next time."
Akira chuckles, the sound dry and dismissive, as he continues to collect his winnings.
Akira: "Lucky, huh? You should know by now, luck has nothing to do with it."
Adam looks over at Akira, the faintest smirk appearing on his face, a look that suggests he's been watching more closely than he let on.
Adam: "Next time, Akira. You're not the only one with tricks up your sleeve."
Amethyst's smug expression doesn't quite match the frustration bubbling beneath her synthetic skin. Despite her defeat, she can't help but admire Akira's boldness.
Amethyst: "We'll see who really wins next time."
[ Small Time Skip ]
The room remains tense as Akira, Amethyst, and the others are still in the middle of their poker game. The flickering lights cast a dim glow over the table, where the pile of chips has grown high. Ark, the AI dealer, watches intently, its red interface blinking with calculations.
Just as the atmosphere grows thick with anticipation, the sound of the hideout door creaks open.
Tsukasa Kadoya and Sougo Tokiwa walk into the room, their casual strides contrasting the sharp tension in the air. Tsukasa's camera is slung around his neck, and Sougo is in his usual upbeat manner, looking around the room with a smile.
Tsukasa: "Hey, hey! What's going on here? A poker game?" His voice is loud and obnoxious as he steps into the center of the room, scanning the group with mild interest. His mismatched eyes land on the poker table.
Sougo: "It looks like fun! Can we join in?" He grins, practically bouncing on his heels as he looks at everyone.
Amethyst immediately lights up, her eyes narrowing mischievously at Tsukasa's entrance. She smirks to herself, an idea forming in her head.
Amethyst: "Ah, Tsukasa, right? Why not join us, then? I'd love to have a rematch against Akira..." She glances at Akira with a playful glint in her red eyes. "It's about time someone took him down a peg."
Akira looks up at her, his expression calm but unreadable, his purple aura barely flickering around him. He chuckles softly.
Akira: "You should be careful what you wish for, Amethyst."
Tsukasa grins, his lips curling into a playful smirk as he raises his hand, his index finger pointing toward the poker table.
Tsukasa: "Well, I'm not one to back down from a challenge. Count me in." He takes a seat at the table, Sougo following right behind, eager to join in as well.
Ark's red interface flickers for a moment before its voice cuts through the silence, clearly acknowledging Tsukasa's entry.
Ark: "New participant detected. Allowing entry into the game."
Tsukasa tosses a casual glance toward Akira, his demeanor far more relaxed than anyone at the table, clearly not intimidated by Akira's earlier win.
Tsukasa: "I'll just say this now—don't think I'll go easy on you."
Amethyst snickers under her breath as she picks up her cards, eyes now fixated on Akira.
Amethyst: "You're not the only one who wants to win, Tsukasa."
The game continues, the stakes growing higher as the rounds go by. Tsukasa plays with an unpredictable style, tossing in chips with ease and clearly enjoying the chaos he brings to the game. Amethyst and Akira, on the other hand, start getting more serious, their hands becoming more calculated, while Onyx and Adam have long since folded, watching the scene unfold.
Finally, after a few rounds, it comes down to the last hand. Amethyst and Akira have already pushed everything to the table, their stacks of chips now a mountain in front of them. Tsukasa, however, has been quietly building up his own pile without anyone noticing. With a slight grin, he raises his final bet, completely unfazed.
Tsukasa: "All in."
Amethyst, with a cocky grin, flicks her hair back and places her cards face down with an exaggerated flourish. She looks at Akira, expecting him to fold, but when she sees his expression, her smugness falters for a moment. But she doesn't back down.
Amethyst: "Alright, Akira. Let's see if you can really take me down this time."
Akira: "We'll see who's laughing when the cards are on the table, Amethyst." He flips his hand over dramatically, revealing the Royal Flush once more.
Amethyst's eyes widen as she sees her own hand—a near perfect combination, but not quite. Her lips curl into a frustrated snarl as she slams her cards down onto the table.
Amethyst: "This is impossible! I'm getting sick of this!"
Tsukasa watches, unfazed by the growing tension in the room. His eyes flick from Amethyst to Akira, a glint of amusement dancing in his expression. He doesn't even seem to care about the intensity of the game, but simply watches them with a half-smile.
Tsukasa: "Well, seems like you both are a little too worked up about this."
Amethyst glares at Tsukasa, clearly not happy with the situation.
Amethyst: "What are you trying to pull, Tsukasa? You can't possibly beat both of us after all that."
Tsukasa shrugs, his expression far too casual for the atmosphere.
Tsukasa: "Who said I'm trying to pull anything? It's just a game." He flips his hand over, revealing a perfect hand of his own—a Royal Flush.
There's a beat of silence before Amethyst stares in disbelief.
Amethyst: "What?! No way! You're a cheater! And who even wears pink?! You're wearing pink! I bet you've rigged this whole game!"
Tsukasa scoffs at her accusation, his face turning serious for a moment.
Tsukasa: "It's magenta, not pink." He raises his hand, pointing to his Rider Belt. "I'll have you know that Decade's color is magenta, not pink. Get it right."
Akira raises an eyebrow, not even a hint of a smirk on his face, though the subtle amusement in his eyes is apparent. He leans back in his chair, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the table.
Akira: "So that's the trick, huh?"
Sougo bursts out laughing from the sidelines, clearly enjoying the interaction.
Sougo: "Ahh, Tsukasa. You're always so weird about that pink thing. But it's magenta, I get it!"
Amethyst crosses her arms, clearly displeased, but she can't help but let out a frustrated sigh, even though a part of her admires Tsukasa's unflappable confidence.
Amethyst: "You... you're impossible."
Tsukasa grins, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed behind his head.
Tsukasa: "Hey, it's just the way the world works. I win, you lose. Don't take it personally, Amethyst."
The table is silent for a moment before Akira finally speaks up, his voice dry and sarcastic.
Akira: "Seems you got lucky this time, Tsukasa."
Tsukasa: "Lucky? Nah. I'm just good at this. Besides, it's all just a passing-through thing for me. Remember that!" He gives them a wink as he stands, stretching dramatically.
Sougo chuckles beside him, watching Amethyst's defeated expression.
Sougo: "It's okay, Amethyst. We'll just have to play again later!"
The tension in the room finally dissolves, replaced with light laughter from Sougo and Tsukasa's usual antics.
Despite the losses, everyone seems to realize—there's always next time, and the game will continue in its unpredictable, chaotic way.