Part 12: Versus: Dragon

[BGM: The Undying]


Dog casually walked out of the room.

Dragon, I bet you'll be a lot more cooperative.

Tch. Like hell I'd work for you!

Yeah, yeah, we'll talk again when you're properly tamed.

Don't think you're going to get to just do what you want! I'm gonna beat you to such a pulp, you won't be able to lift a card!

Careful, that could be considered interfering. If you do something that'd help Dragon win, you'll be executed.



I already said I'm willing to put my life on the line! I'd happily die to show you your place.

Then this is a real problem. You want to punch me and I don't want to be punched.

Horse, mind stepping in?

What?

If I die, you die too. So it's in your best interest that Tiger doesn't hurt me too much.

Horse thought about it for a second. Then, he moved forward and started to restrain Tiger.

Hey! what the hell? Get your arms off me!

Nothing personal. Don't resist.

Like hell I won't resist!



The two began to struggle, but it was clear neither would be punching Dog anytime soon. So the room's attention shifted back to Dog and Dragon. Dragon looked down the list of games she could choose. Ox looked over her shoulder.

Think carefully, Dragon, you have a chance to turn the tables here. If you beat Dog, you can wipe out the biggest threat to our co-existance.

But you know, you don't need to really stress about it. You're kinda in a win-win situation right now.

If you win, congratulations, you defeated the big bad guy. But even if you lose, you get a ticket to ride an easy train to survival.

I already said I'm not working with you!

And I already said we'll talk later. Now pick a game.



Fine. We're playing Concentration.

Oh?

I'll tell you now, whatever you think about me, you're wrong. I get that I don't look like I'm the smartest and that's because I'm not. I won't lie about that. But my memory is killer.

You think you can just challenge anyone to anything and it'll be cool? You've got another thing coming.

My. You're certainly confident. So what are the specific rules.

We'll spread out 50 cards randomly in a 5 by 10 grid. We'll take out a pair. I'll flip them all faceup, we'll have 20 seconds to look, then you'll flip them back face-down.



Pairs are going to be cards of the same value and color. So a 3 of Hearts and 3 of Diamonds would be a pair. On a person's turn they can flip over two cards. If they are a pair, they pick up the pair, put it in their stack, then can try again.

This continues until they flip over two cards that aren't in a pair, or all the cards are gone. When all the cards are gone, the person with the most cards in their stack wins.

Oh, and I get to flip first.

The rules were simple, but far from fair. If Dragon really had as good of a memory as she claimed, going first was a humongous advantage. It was possible she could sweep the whole thing in one go. I expected Dog to argue back, to try and agree on fairer rules. However...



Sounds fine to me.

Really?

Of course. Why, are you so surprised by that?

Uh, no, not at all.

Smooth.

Shut up.

[BGM: Silence]


I'll take out the Ace of Spades and Clubs, then shuffle the cards.

Dog did just what he said, and the two gathered around a table. Just as simple as that, this life-and-death game was beginning. Meanwhile, Horse and Tiger were still struggling at the side of the room. The rest of us had just been watching all of this unfold. What else could we do?

Dog placed a stack of cards on the table, and Dragon began placing the cards face-up in the grid she described. After the last card was placed, she began to count to 20 aloud.

3... 4... 5...

When she reached 20, Dog leaned forwards and started frantically flipping cards over. Unlike Dragon's cool and methodical approach, Dog used both hands to reach all over the grid and quickly flip them over in a random, rapid order. The technique seemed to annoy Dragon, but she didn't see anything. Finally, all the cards were face down again.

[BGM: Fire Breath]


And here we are.

Here we are.

I'd wish you good luck but, well, you know how it is.

I understand. I wasn't relying on luck anyways.

A confident smirk came across Dragon's face. She knew what she was doing.

She started by flipping the card in the top-left position. 8 of Spades. She then counted 4 rows down, then 3 columns over. There, she flipped over the 8 of Diamonds. She picked up both cards and put them in a stack right next to her. Then she flipped over the card which was to the right of the top-left card and found its match in a similar method.

This pattern repeated itself over and over again. Dragon wasn't just winning this game, she was crushing it! I had my doubts, but she wasn't bluffing. Dog also looked surprised, impressed at Dragon's skills. But on the inside he must be regretting things. He was so confident when he challenged her, but he was getting his ass handed to him.



This was the weakness of letting the opponent choose the game. They could choose what they were strongest at.

I was feeling confident in Dragon's victory until the 11th pair, where she failed to get a matching pair. Instantly her face turned to confusion.

What?

Oof, that's gotta hurt. Good run though.

No, this can't be right. That card wasn't supposed to be there!

Must've got it mixed up in your head.

No way!

Hey, happens to the best of them. Quit worrying so much. You've got a real lead on me. I'd have to be a miracle worker to make a comeback from here.



Despite his words, the creeping smirk on his face made me instantly realize that Dragon was about to lose. In a whirlwind, Dog flipped over pair after pair, mowing through the board. Midway through his rampage, Dragon's eyes perked up again.

That card too, that wasn't supposed to be there!

Don't know what you're talking about, a little busy winning!

Pair removed.

Pair removed.

Pair removed.

Dog ended up sweeping the entire rest of the board. Apparently Dragon wasn't the only one with impressive memory. In the end, Dragon had 20 cards in her stack, but Dog had 30.

[BGM: Silence]


Dang, that was a close one. Good game.

Fuck that! There's no way... it's bullshit!

It looked like Dragon was on the verge of tears. She walked over to the wall and kicked it hard.

How strange. Dragon was so confident going into it. To make such a simple mistake, well, it strikes me odd.

Simple mistake? You think memorizing a 5 by 10 grid of cards is easy?

No, no, of course not. I don't mean to offend.

It's an incredibly difficult feat. And judging by how well Dragon did, it's clear that she can accomplish that feat.

[BGM: Lucky Foot]


Which is why I think it's odd that despite clearly being capable of the task, she had a few cards switched around in her memory.

Um... I could be wrong about this, but, uh... Dog, did you cheat?

Oh?

I'm offended, Sheep. Why would you make such a hurtful accusation?

I'm sorry, it's just that the way you flipped over the cards reminded me of my older sisters when we played Concentration. When we played, I'd always get mixed up.

And I later learned that when they'd flip the cards back up real rapidly, they'd use the speed and confusion to switch the places of one or two cards. If Dragon was really sure of where cards were, could that have happened here?

Really?



Dog, you scum, is she right on this?

Of course not!

Frankly, the fact that you'd slander me is so offensive!

Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean-

Don't back down like that! Just because he said he didn't doesn't mean he actually didn't. Why would he admit it?

Well then, I suppose you have some morsel of evidence to support your claim? You wouldn't just libelously state things without any proof, would you?

…

No? Then I suppose the game is valid.

Fuck.



Don't despair, Dragon. You're on the winning side. I've got an eye for these things, and I know that the three of us can take down everyone else.

It would've been a cleaner stomp if Tiger decided to join us, but that can't be helped. Horse can almost certainly defeat Tiger, and you can defeat pretty much anyone else. Well, it'd be a different story if there were weapons or elements of surprise.

But in a straight up brawl? Well, you're the Slugger Queen, right?

That-

So are you going to let your whole crew down to save a cop, some lawyers, and a bunch of high-class nobodies? Or are you going to make the smart decision?

…

I'm sorry, everyone. But I'm not a good enough person to refuse his offer.

Dragon, no!

[BGM: Constriction]


Even if I didn't agree, there's a good chance that he would've succeeded anyways. This is just jumping off a sinking ship.

There is no shame in your decision. We all must do what we have to.

Sure there's shame! Lots of shame! Shame on you and your friends and family for as long as you live!

Calm down. Panic gains us nothing.

I'm not panicking, I'm convincing!

Poorly.

Will this really simply devolve into a gang fight?

We can take them!



No we can't.

Yes we can!

*sigh*

Now then, lets get started.

Bunny was right, this wasn't a fight I felt good about. Tiger was our biggest asset, but she was likely outmatched by Horse. As for the rest of us, we had the numbers advantage, but none of us could likely beat Dragon, save maybe Bunny. It wasn't totally hopeless, but I didn't like our chances. But what about the Taming Whip? If we used that, people like Horse and Dragon could still be saved! I remembered the numbers for it: 3195. Damn, I should've thought about things better. I was too far from any separate rooms. Bunny, however, was right next to a classroom. What to do?



Another important vote! The thread voted to give Bunny the code here, so that's what we're going to do.



There was really only one thing I could do.

Bunny, the Whip's code is 3195! Quickly, get Dog!

Instantly, Bunny realized what I meant. He sprung into action, rushing into the nearby classroom. Horse chased after him, but by the time he reached the room the door was already closed. He tried breaking in, but before he could finish, that familiar announcement played.

Attention! Bunny is currently attempting to tame Dog. During this challenge, the Round's timer has been paused. Know that any participant that in any way interferes with the challenge will instantly be executed.

Just like the round, so did the brewing fight pause. There was no point so long as the fate of Dog was in the air.