Machine Fur Project IC

[shkkf]

Three smiled, the hint wasn't super subtle but he understood what the other wanted to talk about.

"I know some of the rules indeed. You try to break free from the gaze of your counterpart in order to get the best hand and win the game." As he started to divide the cards, he knew the basics of the game and tried his best to explain.

"We keep our best cards with which we think to win... The useless ones we put back and draw from the pool to test our luck... Then comes the bluffing part in order to decieve and then bet our stakes." As the tanned cat grinned and looked at his companion.

[AJ Fawxe]

Alex leaned over the table and squinted behind his glasses and nodded soflty. "I think they called this five card, but I think it's the same general thing. You don't need to have the best hand.." Alex paused and the corner of his lips twitched, "You just need to make the other person think you have a better hand. If they fold, you win." Alex was enjoying the coded conversation. It reminded him of using IP masks to send a counterhackers attempts to a dead trail or to make them think you're someone harmless when you're actually gleaning information from some source that they think is well guarded and supervised.


Alex tapped the table and smiled, "Come now, if we want to be done in time to eat we don't have too long do we?" Alex arched his brow and glanced over his glasses. Alex was well aware that all had to be ready in two days or else this mysterious project could end them all, along with everyone inside.

[shkkf]

"Well then we differ in our approach... The goal is to get as much profit from your deception." As he grinned and took another card into his hand.

"If you have the better hand you can fool the other in believing it is worse and be certain of your winnings." As the cat smirked softly seeing the extra ce in his hand. "Knowing which cards have been used... Which ones you hold and so forth. That will all determine your chances." Before he pressed them down showing the four aces.
His tail swayed back and forth with this. He didn't had another failure that could talk or wished to think on this type of level.

"Also... Know who is playing the game. Which I thankfully do."

[AJ Fawxe]

Alex simply looked down and shrugged, tossing down a truly crap hand two twos, a five, a nine, and a ten. Alex waited for his hand to be dealt to him then considered his cards while replying. "Of course that's all part of the game. You have to know who you're playing with to start. Some people have more to play with so you have to be very careful. If you have enough people though, you can whittle down the big spender." Alex puts down three cards and picks up his three. Arranging them he pushes his glasses up his muzzle and sighs softly.


"What do you have three? It's not like we've got anything to bargain with or for unless you can think of something."

[shkkf]

Three chuckled at this. The other wanted to try betting actuall things?! It felt odd to do so and no doubt that the doctors would disapprove.

"Aah we don't need to place anything in... Heck one of us would be losing and that I do not wish." As he showed his two pairs in his hand. "So I wonder... What have you been doing for the past few years then? They let Four play out in the yard. Yet you they did not." As his curiosity grew towards the other person.

[AJ Fawxe]

"I've been self improving." Alex stared at his hands and anchored himself there. The pattern of clubs on his first card. The royal figure on his last card. The inside of his covers as lay tangled in them at night, eyes wide. Without batting an eye Alex tossed down his hand, a full house, tens full of kings. "I think this is a better hand, since it's basically two hands in one." Alex glanced up to Three and smiled slyly.

Without even knowing it Alex had been preparing himself for this game for years. Carefully masking his feelings, letting others see what he wanted. Only Thirteen was a problem, his everyday poker face was like a great window to her. She saw right through him. Suddenly with a bit of a start he realised something.

"Oh no.. she could have felt and seen.. Everything about my past. God dammit. I don't want to talk about this and I don't want her talking about it."

Alex coughed softly and looked back up to Three, quietly hoping he wasn't as attentive and perceptive as some others. "So yeah, just spending time on my own, honing my skills and such.

[shkkf]

Three arched a brow when he saw Nine suddenly alter his attitude if merely slightly after throwing his hand. It was strange as normally one would not be so extatic to throw their cards on the table only to alter their attitude as if they had made a huge mistake. And whilst Three was not like Thirteen in sensing, he had been trained to infiltrate, see emotions and more. He was a silent infiltrator, ble to blend in better then the others. Especially in crowded spaces.
 
"There is one thing in this game you need to realise... Never alter your poker face." As the cat grinned and showed his hand was lower then the other male. "Doing this move in real life was bad..." As he kept staring at Nine, something was off on this furr. He couldn't pinpoint it fully what it was, yet he kept looking at him. "So tell, me what is bugging you... And don't think I couldn't see it." As he folded the cards togheter. His voice was neutral almost monotone in what he had said.
 
 

[AJ Fawxe]

Alex kept his eyes well hidden behind his shades which made it easier for him to openly eye up Three as he spoke. Looking down at the cards Alex nodded and glanced off towards the facility then back to Three and nodded softly, "Yeah, I know-or I figured, anyways. I wasn't really changing my poker face just realising something, so in all honesty I would have only made you think I was vulnerable when in truth I was at an advantage. Distress doesn't always equal vulnerability, keep that in mind." Alex was back to giving coded messages though he knew that Three wouldn't drop it without a definitive answer, so the hybrid gave him one.

"Since I can't convince you it's nothing I suppose the best I can do is assure you that I'm going to tell you nothing. Next hand." Alex didn't like being short but this was still something he was struggling with and he didn't want pity or sympathy or a shoulder to cry on. Alex was more than happy to periodically relive the pain and horrors of Subject Nine then go back to living his life as Alex, someone different from the traumatized child he saw every now and again.

[shkkf]

"That is fine by me Nine." Three said softly to the other. He stared at the other grabbing his arm quickly and sternly he spoke to the man. "Just know that when the time comes I need you to be ready alright?!" He said this in a somewhat demanding tone, not wanting to risk anything or anyone to that possible threat of a monster.
It was bad enough that they couldall die from this event, but wasn't freedom worth that price?
 
Tio dealt the cards again and looked blanc to the other male. If Nine wished to play the game strategically then so would he. He picked his cards and looked at them. They weren't great, but neither bad. His expression kept purely blanc and emotionless, as if devoid of any life. "I have lived here longer than most. I know what goes on and happens as much as I need too. Even an advantage means nothing if it is not grabbed properly or executed... You point blanc played your hand. A dumb move as I could have easily put the stakes higher making you force everything you had on data you did not posses. Especially as the 4th king was still in play and could have given me a royal flush."

[AJ Fawxe]

Alex nodded softly as he listened to Three's words then slid his glasses down his muzzle and gave him an equally plain and blank look. "Everything you say is true, save for one thing." Alex paused and looked down to his cards, considering them for a moment, arranging them, before continuing. "You couldn't have raised the stakes as you'd refused to bet anything, therefore I was at no risk of losing anything. With a negligible or non existant cost risks can be taken. Of course once there is something at stake we must be very careful.


Alex smiled softly, satisfied with his vindication of his own choices and actions. It was never nice to hear critique but Alex almost never acted in contradiction to data or on a lack of it. "You still haven't explained what you meant by finding someone who has standards."

[shkkf]

Three smiled. "Simple, you merely act when you have data... Calculated it... And know what the options are." As he shuffled the cards again. "Unlike most you do not act on impulse. In my book that gives points."

The cat dealt the cards and smirked. "We are very much alike in how we act and are. Albeit different on a few areas, I do give you that." With that the cat smirked seeing the cards given to himself. "We won't see everything eye to eye, which is logic... But you act at least on and with logic."

[Lavender_Stripes]

Thirteen sat outside for the longest time, the only clouds in the darkened sky being those of her breath. She shivered like an earthquake, and it looked like her nose almost turned blue. She stood shakily on her legs, her shoeless paws aching under her as she trudged inside. She looked spacey. Like she wasn't all there. She roamed the halls and it was almost as if she was looking for someone. Anyone. Someone happy and content, someone she could cheer up and get their mind off their troubles, but everywhere she turned she felt it. Tension. Stress. Panic, almost. Rage and frustration and a horde of other horrible things. She just wanted her mind clear, she wanted her thoughts and emotions to herself.

She didn't even notice when she walked into the cafeteria out of sheer habit. She looked around blankly, looking for someone. Anyone. Were she not successful, she would trudge back toward the rec rooms. She just needed something.

[Isoke]

 It took Two longer than he had expected to gather the makeshift tools that he needed to disable Three’s collar.  This was mainly in part to him making certain he would have everything he needed and even backups should something not work as he had intended.  Even though he felt confident that he presently had acquired all the necessary things, on a whim he decided to make a quick detour to the cafeteria to commandeer a fork.
 
The vulpine wasn’t too concerned about the watchful cameras around the facility; figuring that not only was there not enough staff to monitor all of them all the time, but also knowing that he semi-frequently engaged in what could be perceived as quirky activities to an outside observer.  Between that and being a success, he felt the only true complication that could arise would be if Five had actually alerted the administration.  Something that Two felt was even odds of Five actually going through with it, but still knew that the risk still needed to be taken.
 
Just as he had found a fork with a bent prong in the stack, one of his triangular ears twitched towards the door in reaction to the sound of soft footfalls.  Two maintained his casually calm demeanor, genuinely feeling that there was no need to stress and doing so would only work against him.  He had just finished pocketing the utensil when Thirteen wandered into the room looking unnaturally subdued  as compared to her otherwise vibrant personality.  “Hey Thirteen.”  Two said in greeting before tilting his head slightly to the side.  “Are you okay?”
 

[Lavender_Stripes]

Thirteen looked at Two, a smile coming to her lips. "Just trying to sort my emotions from the others. Still, things are beating up. Frustration and stress flies about like bees in my head, and they most certainly aren't mine." She stepped a bit closer to him. "Is everything alright?" Saying this was merely a formality. She already knew what he was up to. Everyone's thoughts and motives betray them. "Anything I can help with? Or do you need company?" Even in her own turmoil, she never hesitated to offer a hand. "It's quite cold out." Back to her usual ways, it seems.

[Isoke]

 A friendly amused grin tugged at the corner of Two’s muzzle as he moved closer to Thirteen until he was close enough to engage in conversation.  “You’re so eager to help others…  I’m concerned you’re not doing enough to help yourself.  Even with everything that has happened, is happening, and may happen, you take on so much.”  He paused for a moment to place a hand on her shoulder as a reassuring gesture.  “If you ever find that you’ve taken on more than you can bear, never hesitate to ask me for help for a change.  To answer your question, I think I have a handle of things on my end at this point.”
 
Two removed his hand from her shoulder as he glanced up at the clock before looking back at Thirteen.  “I do, however, have a bit of time to spare if you were wanting company for yourself for a little while.”