The cards folded along the table as Katsumi leisurely watched the intently faced opponent across the table from him. A few others who weren't ninja and one genin sat around too, each of them watching the hand unfold in front of them. Katsumi watched him intently, knowing exactly what cards were in his own hand while trying to picture mentally the lies that his opponent was telling. The fold downwards as his opponent carefully placed the cards so that Katsumi couldn't see, trying to hide even further that which was out of his view. Katsumi stretched back a bit and carried as calm and leisurely a face as he could, all of it part of the deception he was throwing about.

Katsumi looked at his card, visualizing the 8 of hearts in one card and the 10 of diamonds in the other spot as the sat carefully placed down on the table in front of him. The cards folded out and stacked in the center showed three numbers, a 9 of clubs, a 7 of clubs, and a 3 of diamonds. It wasn't very meaningful and gave Katsumi some hope for his own hand but not enough to really push things. They were gambling with spare change at best in their free time and as everyone had folded out but Katsumi and the other boy, the tension was as high as it could be for a single hand.

With a check towards Katsumi, he reached and pulled out a simple five cent piece before tossing it in silently and waiting for a response. The other boy reached down to his cards and flipped them up halfway to reassure himself of what he had. The uncertainty to know his hand meant he was playing in the moment, he might be looking ahead but he wasn't looking ahead two moves and counting the odds. The lie that he was telling hardly matched the lie that Katsumi was telling. The gamble that lied at the heart of their game.

The next hand turned of a Jack of Hearts and Katsumi showed no indication, instead as the other boy checked, he checked as well. The silent deception to know that his opponent would read the move as a loss of turn, a reduced odd and saving some money. His opponent relaxed in that face and it told Katsumi immediately that he knew what was happening. His opponent couldn't have better than face cards or a triple while Katsumi sat on a straight. Everything was in play and as everyone silently sat around and waited for the mental duel between them to end, Katsumi faceded forward his own discomfort. Adjusting his posture as if he were more focused on the last card, turning his face away from his opponent to feign submissiveness.

The last card turned and Katsumi swallowed the air in the back of his throat while pretending to mentally calculate something. His opponent smirked and reached down to throw 20 cents into the pile. Doubling the normal bet and trying to win some money, Katsumi sighed and matched him while his eyes narrowed towards his opponent. Though, the narrowed eyes turned to a smile as Katsumi flipped his cards over and revealed the straight to his opponent who was so sure of his win with a three of a kind.

Some small murmurings as Katsumi reached forward and raked the money towards himself, the small chuckling and commentary from those around him lit up as they turned their cards over to be shuffled and dealt out again. Katsumi himself merely held it together and stacked the new change into his existing pile and spoke towards the other kid while looking down and letting the coins stack onto each other.

"You make it too easy."


[636 words]

Beads of a cold seat would rise to break out along her flesh, her breath quickening, to match the choked strum of her heart. Clinging tightly to the material clothing her still somewhat gaunt form, her arm crossed and pressed to her torso, her knees the following suit to press her arms closer, curling into the fetal position. Her form would shudder again.


The very same cry echoing into reality. A violent awakening to say the least as her body sprang into overdrive, shifting into a crouch as Ripa Tsume slipped into view as though ready to tear down an invisible foe. As her eyes adjusted and her mind began to recognise her surroundings her body would slump against the mattress. Her hand would instinctively shift to grasp the long healed wound, her nails making thin pink lines in the thin flesh, even through the fabric. Even in her sleep, her subconsciousness drew back the memories only to further torment her, no peace seemed to linger with her in the quiet spaces between the missions she forced herself into. Her form would shudder with the shadowed memory of the blade twisting.

With a sigh she would slowly rise to her feet, her body remaining tired as though she hadn't slept at all. Her left hand would rise to cup over her left eye as she took a moment to collect herself, however, such teetered towards impossible stuck inside of that damned tent. Stepping to the opening of the tent she would tug on her boots before lacing them tightly to avoid allowing sand inside of her clothing. The fingers of both hands would trail along her hair to unpin the material used to cover the left side of her face, shielding he mutilations of her left side from view whilst leaving the almost pristine right side exposed. Her pointed features and high cheekbones now in proportion as her physical maturity now labelled her female at sight. Clammy and still slightly gaunt when observed close enough, she held an odd structure of beauty. Tugging the glove on before writing the finger sections of the glove itself before stoking over the area of the missing digit somewhat absentmindedly, the glove had been made to keep the missing digits area covered and extending up along her forearm to her elbow. The rest of her attire a small range of pale colours starting from white to a dusted beige.  the bodysuit made, tight and to cover her left side up to her throat completely whereas the right side showed visible flesh of her chest and arm. Draped about her form a lightweight material quite like the material of her glove and that which covered her face in part, the veil attaching to the body suit to keep it tacked in place against even the strongest of winds.

Her right hand would reach out to swipe the flap of the tent out of the way as she exited, she had no plan of what to do but walk, unable to bear the sight of the four canvas walls of the tent any longer. Her steps a little too quick at first, as though escaping before slowing to a more reasonable pace as she listened to the voices about. A walk amongst the steady hustle and bustle of the evening, cooling hours. A breath of fresh air in an otherwise choked land. Her steps would come to a halt before a small stall like set up harbouring a small selection of beverages and food. Her left hand would rest absentmindedly against the makeshift bar, soaking in the cooling air, yet her attention would shift to one of the tablets seating just two yet others milled about to watch. Her brow would furrow yet her body had already begun to move towards them. Those of the small crowd that had noticed her would part give her a birth of space. Biting down on her bottom lip she would watch as it became clear it was merely a game, but... when was the last time she had seen a game in action. For now, she would look past the gambling section of such to just simply take in what was going on and try to learn along the way as she watched the two’s facial features.  

---

Word count: 1004.

With the hand ended and Katsumi's own winnings sorted within the pile he began to thumb through the cards in front of him. Keeping the numbers and contents of the deck facing away from him, he cut the deck in two and filed the edges neatly together. Feeling the smooth edge created from the conglomerate of the cards, he began to flick each half downwards, shuffling the cards between each other one at a time. His hands began to subconsciously push the cards around as the others at the table began to talk.

The small crowd around of people standing around and watching but not brave enough to enter the game themselves seemed to part for a moment as another girl who couldn't be much older than Katsumi himself emerged. His hands went through the motions of feeling the deck solid again and turning the single card on the bottom over to cover its image. His eyes would flicker towards her to gauge her interest on joining, if she was just there to observe, or if she had merely just stuck into place.

The table itself would illuminate to have a total of four players at it, two seated on each side of a bench while the wooden table inside separated them. Next to Katsumi was another woman who was rather lithe and seemed a bit out of it, not really talking or making any conversation towards the group, an outsider who sat a bit aways a way. While she was on his right, the two across from Katsumi where typically male in all the stereotypes. They had muscle and were loud, constantly jawing at each other about the other's stupidity or whatever detail they could use to get under their skin. Occasionally it would draw a laugh or chuckle at the jokes but for the most part only kept their taunting to themselves.

Did you want to join too? Katsumi would offer bluntly as he waited for her response, taking in her person and waiting to see what she would say. If she seemed hesitant or unsure at first, Katsumi would continue with his offer, It's just pocket change we bet to pass the time. Nothing too big if you're worried about losing a lot of money... Katsumi would end off with a final pass of the cards in his hand. One of the guys across from him would make a quick one-lined comment about how at this table, you're bound to lose more than a little but Katsumi mostly ignored the comment and instead focused on the girls presence.

Katsumi would sit paused for a moment and wait for some response from her, anything at all and any indication about her person, trying to find the story she told with her words of course, but past that to what her actions would hold.


[482 words, 1118 words total]

As she stepped to the tables edge her hands be drawn to its edge allowing her digits to spread, the tips of her fingers bushing against the wood as her gaze moved over the hands of those at the table before shifting to their faces, taking in not only their appearance but their posture as well before spreading her gaze to encompass those within the crowd too. Absentmindedly her right hand would rise to rub her fingers against a section of covered flesh at the front of the joint for her left shoulder. Tentatively rubbing the area, the residual sensation of flesh tearing and pain streaking along her chest, ribs and arm seeming to pulsate within her mine every now and again as her mind focused more on the occupants of the table. Her gaze would return to the table itself before flickering to the hands of the young male, watching him flicker through the cards shuffling, though she had approached the table a tad late to see and figure out the game maybe if she remained she would learn quickly enough. yet as the thought crossed her mind  The boy's voice would draw her gaze to his face once again, though in part it were to make sure it was her that he was addressing.  

Her head would tilt just a touch towards the right allowing her iced white bangs to graze away from her pointed features before fanning outwards slightly. Yet before the rational side of her mind kicked in her form had already begun to move, as though a part of her subconscious mind jumped at the chance to play a game of any standing. When was the last time she had played at a table game?  


Her lips would part as though to answer only for her to bite down on her bottom lip firmly securing that at that moment, no sound would leave her, as a burning feeling rose to spread like a wildfire of pain through her chest, each beat of her heart forcing the sensation to fill her chest like an ache. Chewing down slightly on her bottom lip would cause the two-deep indented scars of her otherwise perfect perspective lips to crease further.  She would step past the female allowing her hand to graze along the back of her chair, almost quite reminiscent of how a child would stroke their fingers along a fence of their way past, the crowd seeming to naturally part o her. Reaching the young males left side she would pull up a chair before settling her rump into it, allowing him to finish his small speech, as though to draw her in if she were nieve enough. In truth, she had gambled very little yet knew it to be a toxic habit but the allure of a game kept her steadfast in the seat choosing to look past one of the other males snide comment. Her body would incline towards the young male, her posture oddly  strict and straight with her hands folded against her lap, as the only visible piercing yellow orb’s gaze sat with him, her voice though flat holding the remnants of slight excitement, her accent thick upon her tongue, “What is the aim and the rulings for this game?”  

Her thumbs would tuck into the palms of her hands tucking some of the fold of soft fabric with them, anything to stop her from clutching at the pain in her chest, She desperately needed to fill her mind with something other than the guilt that crawled up along her throat from her chest.  

---

Word count: 671.
Total word count: 1675

She was certainly far more perceptive than he would have imagined some girl, watching as she traced her hand across the table and watched each flick of the cards carefully before her mind became occupied. What he couldn't say was whether or not she was processing any of that information correctly or merely just distracting herself while weighing the decision. Katsumi's eyebrow would raise curiously for a moment as he waited for any sort of decision.

She would take a seat to his left as Katsumi would shift to create room, her question of how to play the game lingered as he set the deck of cards for what would be face down in front of him while watching her appearance.

"The aim is simple... to win." he would offer a quick smile before sliding individual cards away from the top of the deck and to each of the people's hands around the table. Firstly to his left, a single card towards the newly arrived girl and then continuing past to everyone at the table in order. Then, a second fully around the table back to himself before he would shift the deck into the middle.

"The rules are more complex. First, you get two cards and five cards are played in the middle, and you try to create the best combination of five cards you can." Katsumi would continue on as he would draw his own cards near the end of the table and take a look at them. The 7 of diamonds and an 8 of clubs.

"Though, not all of the cards are revealed at once, so you can bet on each round and see how others bet too. If someone bets, you have to put the same amount in, double it, or you lose that turn by folding."

He would gesture as an example to the first male to the girl's left for him to bet, throwing in a simple five-cent piece to start it off before each of them in the line around the table began to do the same, moving one at a time clockwise as Katsumi continued on,

"Your cards rely on their number and symbol, nothing else."

Katsumi would draw to his pouch and remove a small notecard sized piece of paper and a pen before setting it down and scribbling a few words across it as he spoke. "Firstly, having them in combination is the best, a royal flush as you might have heard before, having the highest possible straight of cards of the same symbol..." he would continue on quickly trying to read down the list of hands and their values until he felt that she would have a small grasp on the game at hand. Taking more than a few moments as the betting turn came to him, his fingers itched to reach and look at his cards again but he declined, knowing exactly what he had and knowing there would be no comfort in checking it again.

He would slide the paper towards her with his left hand as he would tuck the pen away back into the pouch with his right hand. His eyes would focus on her as he would reach down to his pile of petty change and grab a five-cent piece of his own and leisurely toss it into the pile.

"Now, if you don't have any questions and think you understand, it'll cost five cents to play this hand." His eyes would flicker down towards her cards and his head nod along with them as he waited to watch what she would do, taking note of every motion or word she would speak to see how quickly she learned and how she would react to the complexity of it all.


[635 words, 1735 words total]

Her focus would remain on the boy as he spoke though she would keep a close eye on his hands as he shifted the card about. Listening to each bit of detail he gave. A light snort would pass from her, partially muffled by the veil that covered the left side of her face entirely as he stated the aim of the game, yet, was that not the aim of every game. In-kind and to play along she would match his smile before softening it giving a light not to indicate that she grasped that piece of information just fine. Her form would, however, lean back away from the table as the boy dealt the card, her main attention remaining with him and not the cards nor people that he passed out too, offering the rest a simply small section of her attention to keep track of the movements of the others.  

She would give yet another nod, causing the beaded section of her hair to shift with the movement, the bead itself tapping against her chest creating a dull hollow sound with each tap. Her gaze would only shift once the boy indicated to the male on her left, she wouldn’t however, turn as much nor as far as one might have expected, taking in each person’s action but more importantly the faces they pulled with each bet placed, quickly comparing them to how they looked when she first approached the table. Her right brow would arch as her left hand slipped into a small section of her belt retrieving the required coin as her right hand repeated the boy’s movement with his card, simply scanning her own, a simple King of clubs and a Jack of hearts.  

Her right hand would shift to interrupt the movement toward her left hand allowing the cold flesh of her right hand to graze past his hand before accepting the slip of paper giving another soft nod, her smile never wavering as she uttered “Thank you.” as she scanned over the paper, quickly soaking up the information the boy had written for her. Though this may not be a game she would play again, it would be information stored safely away in the confines of her mind for the possibility of later use if at any point it were once again required past this evening. Though her attention seemed to sit with the paper for the moment the feeling of his gaze lingering on her told her enough that he was at least perceptive, more so than the others seemed to be. As he tossed his coin in she too would do the same, drawing her damaged left hand into view for a moment in the process, her coin grazing his in the air before landing on the coin's edge atop his before falling to its side to simply overlap the boy’s coin. Her left hand would graze the note at the table once the coin had been released before continuing out of sight.

As the boy finished talking she would flash him a half smile setting the gaze of her visible yellow orb back on him. Her gloved left hand would return to her lap as her right rest lightly atop her cards. The note itself now resting with her left in her lap. She had become used to being watched within the camp yet as this boy attuned to the finer detail of the individuals at the table the sensation of being watched now sat in the recesses of her mind. For this moment, she was not the surviving of suspicious circumstances she was a player at the table, being sized up like all others. “I appreciate the explanation of the game and I believe I grasp the mechanics.”  

---

Word count: 635.
Total word count: 2310.

She offered a simple 'thank you' as she took the note but didn't say much else throughout his explanation or immediately afterward. Though, Katsumi was caught in his pace, catching sight of her left hand and the state it was in, worn flesh that had seen its share of damage and retained it. He couldn't immediately make out much, how fresh it was or if it was a long-standing scar that she bore, but he did make the connection to keep herself veiled. His eyes wandered perilously close to trying to peak at the face under or getting a better view before his own shinobi nature and the words of his sister reached out and caught him in step.

She came in the room to tears from a young Katsumi as his mother bandaged around his leg. The words, "What are you so upset about?" rang out like some harsh truth as his mother hushed him and his saddened and watery eyes turned towards her in a confused and empathy seeking look. But the glance that came back was one of misdirected anger towards the older girl in ANBU armor as she continued on, "If you're gonna be a ninja you can't cry at an injury. People get hurt all the time and a lot worse, you might as well learn it now." His eyes would well and his head turn before his mother snapped and ordered her from the room.

The rest of the memory seemed to blur around the details and view of it all, the area from where it came or what happened afterward. The emotion around it seemed veiled as well and turned away from his sight. Katsumi couldn't even put together the words his mother spoke to him to make him feel better after she left the room. Typical words from a caring mother to ease the pain of her boy but he was too busy grappling with the harsh truth and anger from a sibling he looked up too so much and from words that he knew deep down were true.

In the game, it was an instant of hesitation before she returned her hand and Katsumi's attention drew back to himself and he gulped down his own misery. She had played out her coins and Katsumi internally shook himself together before turning back to her and smiling,

"Don't worry, it's nice to have players that are a touch more observant than toddlers. Makes the game more interesting," he finished out with a slight chuckle before turning a single card face down next to the deck.

From there, his attention turned on the cards fully as he turned out three more cards face up for the group to see: an Eight of hearts, a Jack of diamonds, and a Four of clubs. Katsumi fell back into his place and his eyes began to watch as the others around the table began to take their turns and put everything into motion. The first male to her left would start it off by placing out a ten-cent piece and carrying himself smugly as he looked at the next two folded their hands and their cards went face down with the singular face down card into another neat pile.

Katsumi played his own ten cents after the person to his right did the same and his attention fell to the new girl to play, he would motion to her to double down on the notice that it was her turn before falling silent and waiting to see how she played again.


[604 words, 2339 words total]

Her piercing yellow orb would flicker to set her gaze upon the boy to her right as she felt his gaze upon her. Her right hand would shift to her gloved left, leaving her cards upon the table faced down, her right hand's fingers curling over her left hand to graze her fingers over the gloved palm. Yet as she watched him she would witness a small moment that his mind seemed to wander from him. Se would take the opportunity to set her gaze about those seated around the table with them. Her gaze would linger with each, in turn, surveying their facial expressions and their posture.  

She would pretend not to have noticed the subtle changed within the boy's demeanor as her attention returned to him, her own smile shifting ever so slightly to match his as he spoke. Her gaze would follow his movements, “There is little to worry about sat about this table, save for one it would seem” Her gaze would flicker back to him for but a moment. Her right hand would return to the table grazing her fingertips over the cards before her, yet now her right hand held the paper in which he had scribed details of the game upon for her. She would place the paper atop her cards before resting her hand atop it. She would tilt slightly towards the table to take in the sight of the new cards before settling back once more, her posture as always somewhat ridged as though such helped her to soak up the information about her person.

Again, her attention would pass about the table watching each play their part, from the smug expression of the male to her left to the boy at her right and the intensity of his concentration as he himself pit in his share to remain with the game. Further nestling her left hand between the folds of the soft fabric that twisted about her leith form her right hand would shift to retrieve her share for the game; her right arm would cross over her body to reach for the coins before reaching over to drop the coins with the others.  

As her hand returned to simply rest atop her now hidden left in her lap before drawing her attention back to the boy to her right awaiting the next part of the ‘little’ game. The subtle giddy sensation would crawl within the pit of her stomach, it wasn’t the style of game she was used to but it was a game none the less, and it would seem, the giddy notion would draw forth the need to ask questions, “When did you learn to play?” Her gaze would settle on him, locking with his own gaze if the chance would be given. Though a part of her would ponder, how well would he do if he was distracted enough from the game, since, he had already displayed a moment of hesitation where his mind had wandered.  

---

Word count: 503.
Total word count: 2813.

She joined in the suit to mock around at the other players as well, almost distinguishing themselves as the real characters of the scenes or at least, as the high-minded bullies of the table. Still, the groans and twisted faces of the others fell dully on Katsumi's perception as they continued about their game and didn't comment on it further. The truth of the game was implied and Katsumi felt good knowing that even if his opponent could read him, her lack of knowledge would be her undoing, not knowing which situations to anticipate and look into or how to bluff or call at a bluff.

Turning over another card facedown on the discarded pile of cards, he quickly flipped over another Ace of Clubs in the row with the rest, making four total cards face up and neatly in a row. Katsumi weighed the decision of his own cards in his hand and began contemplating what combinations his own seven of diamonds and eight of clubs would buy him in this scenario as the girl spoke up towards him from his left.

When did he learn to play? His attention momentarily turned towards her but not directly at her as the hands began to go around the table. Firstly another bet of ten cents before the second to last player folded. The turnabout from the other players at the table all seemed rather dull in the grand scheme of things, his attention was focused on her question instead. Katsumi spoke up in the brief gap before his turn,

"I'm not sure exactly, I've known how to play a while... I don't remember learning it any specific time at least," he racked around in his brain trying to find some instance of a memory where he first learned to play it or was tricked or by whom but the game seemed to always be with him. It wasn't so much that he'd played it so many times that the early part of his 'career' in the game as anyone might call it would be blurred together. He was so young and remembered a lot of things otherwise but it was a different sensation entirely. Deception, lying, and bluffing had become so much a part of him that he treated most interactions like hands of poker. Some might treat their actions and movements as games of chess while he focused on the interactions between people rather than what could and couldn't happen.

Katsumi shrugged and threw in his own ten cents lazily and not paying much attention to the rest of the table as his eyes wandered around her and what she would be driving at or following up with after her question.


[461 words, 2800 words total]

Her gaze washing over the table again she would take in the smaller details from the, almost obsessively, neat layout of the cards to those about the table as though able to imagine how each might lay them if they were dealing. Her attention would return to him taking in the concentration of him. Not so interested in the game itself as she were about the way the minds about her was functioning.  

A smirk would threaten to tarnish the sweet and somewhat dimwitted smile that it held in place for those around her, as a simple thought crept from the recesses of her mind. As he pondered her question her gaze would flicker to the cards once again, before standing slightly, just enough to hover her rump above her seat, her left hand would peek into view as it took a hold of the table to steady it as she lent over it, again now shielding it from view. As she lent her head would tilt slightly as though to take a better look at the card, feining somewhat that the mask along the left side of her face blocked some of her vision. Her right hand would shift before placing the pads of her index, middle and ring fingers against the Ace of clubs card turning it slightly escue as though to take a look before lifting her hand from it. Returning her rump to the seat she would sweep her right hand through the folds of fabric draped about her form to keep it handing straight without becoming restrictive or tight to her movements as the card was left ascue, especially in comparison to the other cards beside it.

Setting her gaze back to the young boy, the sweetest of smiles along her lips as she watched him, listening to his short and sweet admission, she would nod along lightly. Yet the question became, was there reason to continue paying into the game or could she reap more by folding and simply observing. Her hand would move atop the paper and the cards only to graze the paper along away from the cards before using her right hand along to fold the paper, first in half and then again in half before tucking it into a small pocket of her draped belt. Her hand would return to the cards as she watched him toss his coins in before giving a subtle shrug as the visible section of her lips formed a mock pout for but a moment as she spoke, “Fold.” Though her smile would return as she slid her chair back a touch so that she was able to observe each thoroughly as her hand rose from the table indicating for them to continue before resting her hand against her lap.  

---

Word count: 465.
Total word count: 3278.

Katsumi eyes would twitch for a second as he followed her movement across the table, reaching out to disturb the cards at the center. If his body had a penchant for a vein bulging out of his forehead it would in this moment out of the frustration. His teeth would clinch a bit as she let her hand return to her person and the mess of the cards in front of them all was there left there askew in his neat pile. His mind instantly wandered to how rude it would be of him to reach forward and straighten it back or how she'd perceive it, or if he'd be able to do it in such a way to draw attention to the quite rude mistake she'd left.

Forget that he'd forgotten to explain explicitly that she wasn't supposed to touch the cards in the center or other peoples cards, a bit of common sense that he didn't feel needed. Still, Katsumi adjusted himself by pulling his shoulders back to try to crack the bones of his upper back while swallowing the invisible lump in his throat before gathering himself up to lean forward and correct the action. Among his explanation, he would linger forward, careful not to leave his seat and letting his arm outstretched before a few fingers placed their pads on the card and quickly but carefully pushed it back into line with the rest of the cards. His face would be a slightly more negative appearance as he had to adjust it, one that would hopefully relay the slight annoyance back to her smile as he finished the rant out.

Katsumi would make sure his explanation would include a small note after he had retracted, simple to offer that 'you shouldn't touch the cards in the center, people could view it as you trying to cheat...' before he would leave the room fully to her own decision.

It came shortly thereafter that she outright folded, a small snap among Katsumi's signals as he looked at her closely, almost feeling as if he had squinted directly at her at that moment.

"Alright, you're sure about that?" he would hold his hand in a way while waiting for an answer, waiting for absolute confirmation that she would leave this hand before he would place his hand atop her cards and slide them face down and sliding them neatly to the top of the discarded deck at the center. Katsumi's own focus would linger as he waited patiently for a response of some kind and an indication of what to do. Though, if she really did decide to fold her hand it would leave Katsumi open to win again against the easy to play batch that sat around them. The only competition he'd felt he had at that table that day was already folding out of the game.


[490 words, 3290 words total]

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, the definition of such she would witness in its raw splendor as no sooner than her rump had touched back to her seat the boy would be on the move once again, how hand reaching for the card to straighten it, perfectly aligned with the others once again.  The boys features twisting to something that resembled irritated disgust would not pass by unmissed by her observation. And for but a moment her mind would pause, one half calculating that which happened before her as the other half drew forth a memory, one that quickly tightened her chest, restricting the capacity of her lungs as a pain rickashed within the cavity hampering her ability to breath, yet she would suffer this in silence, with a lack of a better word for such a phantom-like pain, grief would simply have to do. The sorrow and pleasure of the memory would only further the sensation.  


The mix of pleasure and pain of such a memory would churn her stomach as the tightness within her chest lowered, moving from her chest to her stomach yet she would, with a fair amount of restraint force the sensation away from her thoughts as though ignoring it would fade it quicker.  Yet, to the forefront of her mind, she would draw forth the boys reaction, settling her singular piercing yellow orb upon him once again listening as he spoke. A sweet smile would continue to hold her usually stern features hostage, before drawing her lips to form a small ‘o’ shape, returning again to the sweet smile as she spoke in turn, “A mistake that could easily have been avoided if my request for the rulings of the game had been given in full.” Her shoulders would rise and fall giving a soft shrug before continuing, “Though I understand, such small rulings being forgotten to be relayed...” Her gaze would pass about the table to the others players, “I do hope that you will all forgive my ignorant mistake.” her gaze would find its way back to him, her orb holding a hint of a smirk at his reaction yet all else of her features held to the sweet look.  

Her smile would split into allowing her to speak as her smile showed her pearly whites at his words, “Positive. I see little point to continue this time around, I may learn far more simply watching or the time being. Please do, continue.” She would give a light indication for them to continue, flickering her gaze between the remaining players before settling again on Katsumi for the most part.

---

Word count: 526.
Total word count: 3804.

Irritated disgust was right, and if he hadn't fully given the appearance of it before, he would certainly be carrying that heavily level of irritation now. The sweet smile she carried as she immediately painted out her actions as his own fault for not properly explaining things was almost taunting at best. The slight shrug and the carried smile that held the hint of a smirk as she left off, feigning for forgiveness for her actions. The rest of the table piped up in a small uproar as they shrugged off and told her not to worry about it. All except for Katsumi, who if he had the vein for it, would definitely have an annoyed vein protruding from his forehead at this moment as he watched her feign ignorance but seeing at as a taunt at best.

Still, no such vein existed, so instead an indifferent look that carried more of a questionative expression would meet her smirk. His eyes would form slightly like daggers are he squinted slightly trying to prod into the expression of what she was doing. His demeanor shifted as she confirmed that she would fold her hand and instead of going on about the previous turn, he would bury it and slide her cards away into the discard deck as he intended before turning his attention to his own hand and the situation in front of him.

Katsumi followed suit before he would turn one card face down and then flip the final card face up to reveal a 10 of Hearts to fill out the row. He would simply offer a nod before looking at the two in front of him, the remaining two that he would have to play before he could win this hand. His own fingers tapped vigorously on the table to unsettle the person to his right, the calculated symmetry of the movement and the noise to break their concentration. They all checked their hand and when it came to Katsumi himself, he dropped a total of 20 cents into the space in front of him where his eyes flickered to the one on his left. Concentrated focus as he could see him almost squirming in-place mentally.

The best that Katsumi had in his hand was a pair of eights but that wouldn't deter him. The guy to his left now folded out his hand reluctantly, making a show of it to which Katsumi almost hinted a smirk before turning to his right and stilling himself evenly to finish out the hand with the only other player on his right. His eyes would wander for a moment before he would lean back and let his posture sink into his lower back just a touch. A sly smile grew quickly across his face before he turned his head and stretched out the side of his neck, quickly trying to pop the bone before he picked up his cards and looked at them a final time. His hand would let the cards drift down lazily as he carried his smile of confidence and then took the available coins in front of him before pushing them all forwards into the pile at the center of the table while uttering simply,

"All in." before letting himself relax again.

Carrying his smile he would turn towards Taeru quickly, with a bit of energy in his step as he began to explain,

"Going all in is to bet all of your money at once. A sort of winner take all approach to a hand, in case you didn't get that." he would motion between his own money that had become piled in with the rest of the coins and then to his opponents who had about half as much money remaining as he did. "If he wants to play his hand, he'll have to play all of his money as well, makes it a sort of last man standing battle to it." he would finish before turning his attention back on his opponent, watching him try to read out the situation and make his own decision.


[686 words, 3976 words total]

Playing the part, her overly sweet smile would sit pretty on the visible section of her face, and though she was quite evidently malnourished it gave a sense of life to her flesh, the light pink hue raising along her cheeks and in that moment her features would brighten as though restored and rejuvenated the subtle changes barely something that would be picked up upon by sight but more so instinctively. And for the time being, she might even be considered beautiful. Her left hand, now seemingly whole, would shift to lightly touch the bicep of the male to her left leaning into the movement a touch as he amongst the others smiled in return, brushing off the mistake she had unknowingly – at the time- made. Yet before her left hand had even shifted from beneath the fold of her shroud to form the hand signs necessary. Truth be told her actions were simply given and used by ways of a taunt, she would continue to push the boy that had invited her to play thinking her to be easy prey or fresh blood for the gamble.  Now, she needed to see how far his mind would stretch to work. The analysis of another over the cage of her own mind.  

Her left hand would drift back to her lap as her right hand rose only just in time for the boy’s hand to graze hers as she withdrew, even through her the ice cold of her flesh could easily be felt, he removed her cards. Such actions allowing her gaze to flicker from Katsumi and back to the game as he continued with the game. Her gaze would quickly shift about the remaining players before returning to Katsumi once again, analyzing his features right down to small movements in any way that he would make. Her piercing gaze missing little, especially in such close proximity yet it would not be just the sight of him that she would take into account but his scent and the vibes he would give out. Ever the one to coldly calculate the situations she found herself in, yet... upon the surface serene, sweet quite possibly even nieve to any on-looker.  

The sudden switches and changed in his demeanour would not go unnoticed as the boy turned to her and in turn, she would lean a touch closer to show her attention, seemingly undivided to the boy to listen to him.  Her smile would remain and in turn, she would nod, “Thank you for the confirmation of that, it’s always better to be thorough in unknown territory.” and for a moment longer, she would study him before turning her gaze to the cards against the table. Recalling not only her own cards but each individual's expressions at the sight of their cards, her mind gaging the outcome. And slowly her attention would turn to the female beside the young man to her right. Her gaze would wonder the female's features and then further seeking out the woman’s demeanour now, pondering what the female would do before allowing her own head to tilt. Her gaze would remain, simply wanting to see the outcome of the game, maybe this time around she had distracted the boy long enough for another to come forth. Some needed knocking down a peg whilst others needed raising, did they not?

---

345/350:

Word count: 566.
Total word count: 4370

The cold over his hands was almost unsettling as he let it draw away while he pulled the cards and set them in the center. His composure would break for just an instant as his eyes would flicker towards her hand and then to her person, her face to see if she were doing anything unusual. For such a hot and humid place it was beyond chilling, like touching near death or placing his hand within near-freezing water. No, that sensation wasn't close enough because it wasn't lonely enough to be death and freezing water didn't seem cold enough. He quickly would push the thought out and return immediately to the straight face and situation at hand, ignoring that instant of a moment for perhaps a later time.

Their game continued on and though his sarcastic explanation was meant to unsettle his opponent more than it was an explanation, the girl had seemed to have taken it more genuinely and thanked him for the explanation. He put the thought mostly out of his mind as he carried on and began to focus in on his opponent again. The small flicker and furrowing of her brow as his final opponent. Katsumi would lean back a bit and sigh in impatience. He'd seen her tell once, the wrinkle that developed not in the center of her forehead but to the side showed itself once again. It truly made no direct correlation to whether she had good cards or not in the situation, truth be told that Katsumi could hardly remember what cards were on the table and what wasn't. Instead, he focused solely on playing the person across from him. His hands folded together on the table, he would push her a bit closer to the edge,

"It's only pocket change really, it won't matter if you win or lose here. There's nothing at stake but your pride and my own." A hint of truth within the psychology about his statement. What he said wasn't a lie but he definitely used it as such, a reassurance to get her to play the game. It was subtle and not many would see its real inclination. Sure, to the average mind it would be an obvious attempt at reverse psychology and that's what he needed them to see it is. Confidence on his part that he would win. Others might agree and he might even be right, win or lose it didn't mean much for either of them and Katsumi would be damned if he let something like pride be his downfall. No, it was the spirit of the game that he was after, the subtle machination that he drove into himself to pry at and twist away.

See, it was in that idea that he was trying to trick that he had succeeded in it. No longer was this a match of who had better cards to win, but the idea he was good enough to win, and confident about it. She would convince herself of this fact as her mind wandered on. Turning to the man next to her, the girl as his final opponent would draw a smirk towards him, a bluff as the man tried to urge her on with some not about the odds. But when she looked down, Katsumi could see the doubt that he had sowed in. The idea that he wouldn't be fallen by it, it was all part of the show, and he knew it. She was slowly convincing herself not to play, maybe even fighting against it. He'd reversed the two halves of her mind and now it was the forefront that wanted to quit and the latter half that wanted play.

Though, the looks from the crowd were probably enough and the pushing from the man next to her, obviously her significant other, would be enough to push her in. Placing her cards forward and revealing a slightly higher pair than his own. The intensity with which she placed it down and how quickly she drew her hand away were obvious, pulling them back to herself but keeping her fingers spread. Her hands were clamy and that meant she was nervous and full of anxiety. He'd won no matter what the cards said.

Katsumi had to play it up though, he was winning and did so often. It would be an easy lie to sell to everyone at the table. He would chuckle and shake his head while looking indirectly at her cards before speaking up.

Well played... his voice would drag off and he would decline to show his cards, instead sliding them face down into the mess of cards before gathering the rest of them together.

With a chuckle he would assemble the deck in his hand and begin to shuffle as the girl happily and now free of anxiety would collect her winning change. Katsumi though, held his gaze and focus aimlessly on the cards in front of him, quickly shuffling the cards and throwing them around amidst each other before he would sigh finally.

"Anyways, that's enough for me for now. I need to go finish my training for the evening and take a break from sitting around here." He would offer a weak smile in return before handing the shuffled deck to the girl on his right, the previous winner of the game before standing up and stretching out a bit.

"It's been fun," he would almost exclaim before gathering up his own remaining coin pile before letting them fall haphazardly into his pouch before turning the girl on his left as well,

"Hopefully you had fun but you'll have to get the others to teach you if you stay. Hopefully we can play a game where you don't quit so early..." he would leave the comment with a smirk before stepping away from the table and beginning to walk out. His hands in his pocket and his head focused aimlessly on nothing. His tone and demeanor would show to them all that he had enough losses for one day, maybe they would even comment on how easily rattled he was by it. But that wouldn't matter, they missed the game and fell right into it anyways. Well, the rest of them did but the girl with the cold hands and covered face, she might have been perceptive enough to beat him. Maybe she would get the chance to eventually beat him in some match, if she were eager enough to do so.


[1105 words, 5081 words total]
[Exit Thread]

Training:

The composure of her façade would remain even as she watched his own composure crack for but a moment under the miniscule connections of their hands. The best way to have explained the sight of him would be to use the term ‘un-nerved’ before his composure was regained, his very own façade. Interesting, to watch it slip and return. Yet it was not uncommon for people to be in many ways shocked at the cool temperature her body radiated at, yet with the current climate they found themselves in it could be more so understood that shock would be his reaction but not enough for him to recoil away from her.  And with such analysis, her mind would wander only to be drawn back by the shift about the table in which they sat.  

The game was, of course, continuing with or without her attention and with such she would further see the boys mind at work, the way he used words speckled with truths upon a silver tongue to manipulate those around him, no wonder he had won time after time and enjoyed the game the way he did. Not only did he gain money from the endeavor but a chance to practice and hone his skills. With such a realization set within her mind a more genuine smile would draw along her lips, the façade for the time being no longer required and for such, it would fade, allowing her features o gaunt a touch more. The simple smile upon her lips would cause the two deep scars on her top and bottom lips would crease with the gesture yet given for the subtle arts of a shinobi was being displayed before her, a silent prayer and hope for the next generation as though such were being answered giving way to a momentary slither of bliss and pride, for he was apart of the next generation of Iwagakure no Sato. During the short time she had been returned to Iwagakure’s ranks, she had seen far too many shinobi rush headfirst into situations that would have suited better to thought before action, leaving her with a lackluster and a disappointment in the generation that had preceded her own. This moment gave back hope, in a form at least.  

Her visible brow would arch though as he refused the audience a glimpse of his card sliding them away before gathering the others, was it such a matter of pride that he had to keep face before the people around them? Questions, questions, it would seem that she had many, yet she would not utter one aloud. Truly, the time spent out of her tent would give, so long as the company remained, a pass time and an occupation for her mind. Something she felt she needed for that moment as being left to her own devices within the confines of the four walls of the tent was becoming more than suffocating as the walls seemed to impose upon her personal space, as though her mind were not already waiting to torture her with memories, between those of torture and of the last moments with her squad, not a moments peace was found within that damned tent. So here and now, about people she had little bother for other than an outlet to keep her mind controlled, she had chosen to remain for just a little while longer.  

Her piercing gaze would flicker back up to Katsumi’s face as he spoke up again, noting the weak set of his smile, was his pride so wounded? Did such a small game mean so much or had he not gain his fill in what he came for in control? As he turned to her once he had risen, speaking she too would raise as though such were only polite to do so. She would incline her head lightly, acknowledging his words before speaking in turn, "Thank you, yes, maybe another time. It has been an interesting time, to say the least.” She would, of course, catch the boys jibe in the form of his words, allowing them to pass over her head as she continued. “Do stay safe and enjoy your evening.” Turning back to the table she would settle her rump once again, making sure that as she watched the boy leave it would not be obvious that she did such. Declining on joining the game this time around, others would opt in now that the boy had left, many in turn attempting to engage and teach her this time around only becoming un-nerved when realizing with whom they conversed with. the atmosphere had seemed to leave with the boy and so did her interest, leaving the walls of her mind to encroach once again.

---

---

Word count: 800.
Total word count: 5170.