The Trickster vs The Fool, part 2

Kenji, Kat and Brandon all were in the chess club room. Kenji looked at both of them while Kat walked around, pretty much touching ever single thing in sight. While seeing if she could get away with stealing something. Brandon and Kenji were making eye contact with one another.

"So, can I help you with something?" Kenji asked, Brandon's eyes looked around. The room was very clean, a chessboard on the desk. He saw that the chess pieces were made out of green onyx. Green onyx is believed to enhance one's Intuition and spiritual growth. Brandon could figure that the chess piece was a sort of win - win purchase. He figured Kenji got a chance to enhance his Intuition while the spiritual side of things was for others who played, he got to be himself while not also being himself.

He saw a closet, likely filled with different boards. "Um, I'm here checking out a club. Heard this is where the nerds hangout." Brandon said. Kenji put his hands in his pockets as he walked towards him. "You could say that." Kenji said

"I did." Brandon said. "You guys do any activities other than chess here? Like poker maybe?" Brandon asked. Kenji snickered as he stood next to Brandon. Kat opened one of the drawers in the room. Inside there she saw a few things. Dice, diagrams and a image of the golden ratio taped to the side of the inside of the drawer. She went ahead and grabbed a few dice, she studied them for a bit and gave them a quick lick. They were dusty.

"We do a wide arrange of activies here, you don't seem to be from around here. You're from the entrance exams huh?" Kenji asked. Brandon smiled at him. Brandon needed to make sure that his theory that Kenji was his guy was right. The Trickster was cunning, good at staging under the radar like the white rabbit. Honestly Brandon knew that he'd be as difficult to catch as the white rabbit of it wasn't for one single weakness.

He wanted to be seen. Brandon looked to Kat for a second and then back to Kenji. "Yea. They were really not too crazy. I'm from America so I'm pretty use to absurd and redundant tests yaknow." Brandon said. "America, ah. I uh, never got your name." Kenji said.

"Didn't ask, its Fraudrin. Nice to meet you uhh?" Brandon said as he extended his hand. Kenji shook his hand. "Kenji. Nice to meet you." He said.

"You're interested in joining the club yea? So, what brought on this curiosity?" Kenji asked as he walked over and sat down with Brandon following him. He put his fingers on the chess pieces. Meanwhile Kat was still searching the place for anything else to steal. Though she occasionally eyed Kenji and Brandon. "I've been thinking since the mention that a friend of mine goes here. He's very intelligent, big genius I think you may know him. Kibe. Very brilliant guy." Brandon said.

"Him again." Kenji thought. His finger tapped on his leg. Brandon noticed it, his eyes moving quickly to them and back to Kenji. Kenji took notice of the slight observation that Brandon made.

"Well. Kibe definitely does have e a place with us. He joined with us some time ago. Never mentioned you though." Kenji said "I'm a new addition to the gang." Brandon said. Kenji shrugged.

"So, you're looking to join in. We always have room for more members. What do you like to do?" Kenji asked. "I like games. Intellectual puzzles yaknow?" Brandon said with Kenji nodding. Kat turned to them, she was digging in the garbage. "I like games." She said. Brandon looked to her and then to Kenji. "Hm, she likes games." Brandon smiled.

"Well, what kind are interested in." Kenji asked. "The really hard ones yaknow, Kibe introduced me to a few before. We're playing one right now infact. Quite the puzzler though, he said he had to play with me cause you were just too easy to win against." Brandon said. Thats when Kenji looked to him, his eyes squinting just a bit as he stared him, face a little more serious. Brandon then took a seat across from him.

"Too easy to read he said." Brandon said. Kenji smiled at him. "Hm, then how about we play a bit of game then. A little initiation one." Kenji said. Brandon smiled widely.

"What do you say? Up your alley? Or is it a bit too nerdy?" Kenji asked which Brandon then turned to Kat who now was interested into what was happening. She walked over to Brandon who then turned to Kenji. The two, Brandon and Kenji smirked at each other.

"Lets go for it." Brandon said.

Elsewhere Bato and Kiko were walking down a hallway in Sawa during school hours. Both quiet for a time before stopping by the stairs. "What are you thinking?" Kiko asked. Bato played with his coat a bit before answering. His hands going into his pockets. "Brandon Wright is a liar, a compulsive one. I don't think he even knows when he's telling the truth to be frank." Bato said

"You get all that from your time in the cafe?" Kiko asked. "Yes actually, he has a addiction to excitement. He gets bored easily and overall is in love with the chase. Perhaps thats why he's attached to Kibe as he has." Bato said.

"You think he knows?" Kiko asked.

"...Hard to say, I wouldn't put it past him however. He's not an idiot. He came to the cafe to illicit a reaction from me. He wanted to see what I'd do. He wouldn't have mentioned Kibe if he didn't have an idea.

Hes surprisingly observant and practical." Bato said.

"So, did you?" Kiko asked to which Bato shook his head. "Theres more danger here then expected, maybe its best to-"

"No." Bato said. Kiko groaned as she leaned aginst the wall. "If you keep this up, they'll remove you not for being incapable, but for ignorance. Learn when the ball isn't in your court Bato." Kiko said.

"I don't own the court Kiko, I own the goddamn sport. Now you listen here, Brandon knows nothing. Right now he's chasing some sort of deluded fetish for escapism. He's playing me, without even realizing he's my own tricks.

Hes a pawn." Bato said.

"Have you even considered that this is exactly what Kibe wants?" Kiko asked. Bato looked away and got ready to answer, but Kiko would cut him off quickly. "And don't you dare lie to me. Because you may have a read on your little circus group, but I'm not them." Kiko said. Bato stood tall, forgetting exactly who he was talking to for a moment. Kiko's authority shined through there for a moment.

"You still think he's in control?" Bato asked with a wry laugh. "I don't think, I know. Kibe isn't the kind of man he was years ago when he came to the pale palace. Do you want to know something Bato?

It doesn't matter what you do or what you say. You could get Kibe arrested for all you care, they will get him out and still want him. Kibe is a intellectual masterpiece. They want him Bato, more then they will ever want you. Learn to let it go." Kiko said. Bato then got in Kiko's face, his was filled with frustration and annoyance while Kiko didn't flinch an inch.

"Now you listen here, I'm going to bury him. Corgin, Kibe or whatever damn name he goes by. I will see that I get my place in that program, and nothing is going to stop me.

I've bested him before and I will do it again. When I got him removed from the pale palace I thought he'd just dissappear, but it seems someone didn't want that. So its got to be this way.

I'll expel him as many times as I have to, kill him as many times as I have to. I will not rest till he his put down." Bato said with an aggressive tone. Kiko threw her hands up and shrugged. "Fine. I'm done." She said as she walked down the stairs. Bato looked at her.

"Where are you going? What do you mean you're done?" Bato asked. "I mean as in I'm done trying to get you tools to think logically. I was given a demand to return back to France roughly 2 weeks ago. I don't care what you do anymore.

My mission is almost finished anyway." Kiko said

"Mission? What mission?" Bato asked confused. Kiko as she kept walking gave a slight smile before her face got serious once again.

"The one you'll finish for me." Kiko said as she then walked around the corner disappearing. Bato stared at her leave before he then saw Piko run up to him from behind. "Bato. We got something, Kibe is here." She said.

"What?" Bato said surpised. "Yes, that Brandon guy was right. I'll tell you all about it in the conference office." She said as her and Bato left. Back with Kenji and Brandon the two were standing across from one another. With Kat standing between them.

"The game we'll be playing is called, Endless Birthday. The rule of the game is simple. It is to guess the birthday of a made up individual. A birthday will be written down on a piece of paper, the two participants can only do one action and thats to guess. Once the guessing is over, the round ends.

When a round ends, the two will then be given a hint, and from there the game begins again." He said. Brandon folded his arms and leaned back. "A game entirely around cold reading huh? Sounds like fun!" He thought as he leaned forward.

"You're on." Brandon smirked with Kenji doing the same. He then reached into his bag next to his seat and pulled out a pen and pencil. He then looked to Kat and handed them to her. "Here, write down a birthday. Any birthday, then we'll begin." Kenji said.

"Alright, don't mind if I do." Kat smirked. However before she got ready to write it down, she looked at both of them and saw them staring at her hands. She could tell they both were going to use their observation skills to observe her hand movements and cheat.

"You two must think I'm a idiot, stupid heads. Did you check on your mother in the shower to see if she really gave birth to you instead of you're father?" Kat said with a pissy face. She then walked away and left the room to write down the birthday.

"Ehhhh? What the fuck?" Kenji said while Brandon put his finger to his chin.

"You know that's a good question. Am I an anal baby?" Brandon thought as he began to ponder the question. A few moments later she would return with the paper in her hand. She then went ahead and put it in here pocket. "Alright, lets see which one of you is the biggest smart-ass! BEGIN!" Kat shouted as she threw her hands up.

The two of them immediately got more focused. Kenji tapped his leg while Brandon leaned back looking at the ceiling. The two of them both deep in thought. "I wonder if Brandon knows what a birthday even represents.

That its your date of reflection. That it is just a one way mirror back into yourself." Kat thought as then Kenji and Brandon both looked over to Kat who took notice of their eyes. She looked at both of them, her normal creepy smile still remaining. "She may have written down someone close to her. A name that sparks something in her. Only thing though, just who the hell could be close to a girl like that?" Kenji thought. Brandon on the other hand was thinking a little bit more.

Deeply.

"She doesn't give a damn about anyone. She can't be close to anyone. Not after how badly her childhood no doubt was. Then again, sometimes people are just born this way. No amount of abuse or trauma that can change them, if they're already changed." Brandon thought. The two were both going at it, delving into just who Kat was and who she may have been.

"You boys ready to fuck this up yet?" Kat asked. Brandon looked down while Kenji looked at him. Both knew at that moment that the moment one guessed the other will for sure build up from it. However, they knew there was no way to move forward if one didn't speak up. Thats when the mind games began to get more intense, the moment the other spoke up however that was when the dominance of the entire match would begin. Who it was that was ahead of the curve.

It would also show to be an example just how their relationship from here on would be. This was a defining moment, one of Brandon's and Kenji's most crucial moments in their lives. Kenji's eyes focused on Kat again, her normal creepy gaze met him too. She was one of the few people Kenji couldn't get a beat for. So he had to go back, using his deduction skills, he went to Kat's past. He looked at her hair, short, yet it wasn't cut like in a professional fashion and seemed done by her own hand. He figured she must have had to take care of herself a lot.

"She grew up in foster care, or at best lives in a household where no one cares for her. Thats prevalent though. Nothing telling me what the birthday is just yet, however perhaps-" Kenji thought.

"She could be relating the birthday to something from her past life before that. To someone who she may owe a great deal to or may just hate immensely. Damn, she's giving me nothing. Those psycho eyes and deranged smile aren't helping either.

I'm not getting anything from her. I think I'd better off-" Brandon thought

"Just-" Kenji thought

"Guessing, its the only play to make." They both thought as they then both said their guesses.

"January 12th, 1997." Kenji said

"February 2nd, 2001." Brandon said, they both immediately looked to her again to see her reaction to the numbers and dates, yet nothing. Not even a twitch. Kat was like a brickwall. Kenji and Brandon in their minds knew this wasn't going to get them anywhere so long as they didn't change something up and this was when Brandon decided to spice things up real quick.

"Alright, here's you're damn hint. One of you got the year right." Kat smiled, they didn't think she get more creepier or her smile wider. Kenji say back to think on that hint, however Brandon would get up and wonder to the drawers. "What are you doing?" Kenji asked.

"Looking for a way to spice things up. This is all just a big gamble afterall. Right?" Brandon said. Kenji gave a small smirk. "I guess so." Kenji said.

"Well, then, how about we spice it up then. With a little stakes." Brandon said as he then turned around and pulled out a coin. He flipped it a bit. Before walking over.

"Everytime we flip this coin, one of us has to choose something to gamble over come the next round." Brandon said. Kenji smirked, knowing his own history with gambling. He knew this was going to be a breeze. If he couldn't win this via cold reading. Then it would be through a game of chicken. Kat looked at Brandon, her eyes thirsty as she knew exactly now that Brandon was bringing the "fun" into this whole thing now.

"How about I go first then?" Brandon said as he flipped the coin. "Just to warn you, I don't gamble light. Hope you don't mind." Kenji said as Brandon smiled at his comment.

"No not at all, I'm the same way." Brandon said as he then caught the coin in his hand. "Heads or tails my fearless whale?" Brandon asked. Kenji looked at his hand and tapped his chin. Even though Brandon wasn't, Kenji was counting the flips of the coin. From Brandon's flipping of it and the time it got into his hand. Kenji had counted that it had flipped at least several times in the air before making contact with Brandon's hand.

"Heads." Kenji said

"Mmm, tails." Brandon said. Kenji and Kat looked as Brandon then revealed it was....tails. Kenji leaned back and scoffed.

"You cheated." Kenji said "Easy to say, harder to prove. You going to chicken out even though it isn't your call the first go?" Brandon said with a snarky voice. Kenji moved his hand over his mouth and stared at Brandon. "No, go ahead." Kenji said. Brandon then walked over to the closet in the room.

"You said you don't play light right? I don't know about you, but sometimes the easier path is the best one." Brandon said as he dug through it. He saw other chessboards, small black bags filled with different types of chess pieces and then he saw a hammer and tool box. He then reached down and grabbed the hammer. He closed the closet and turn over to them. Kat and Kenji looked as Brandon waved the hammer around. "Oh no, you're not breaking my phone. Maybe something else." Kenji said

"I'm not looking to break your phone." Brandon said, thats when it Kenji just what Brandon meant. Brandon wiggled his fingers on his free hand then set the hammer down between them.

"One of them, for each guess the next two rounds." Brandon said. Kenji looked at him like he had three heads. "Hehe, you're crazy." He said.

"I can see what Kibe meant by you not having the guts to go the extra mile. So defensive, so unwilling to do what it takes for success.

Its no wonder the other members of the club talked about making him the head instead of you." Brandon said. Kenji and Brandon's eyes were locked. Kenji trying to read if Brandon was a liar and Brandon trying to read if Kenji was infact the Trickster as he had guessed.

"Hes bluffing. This is a scheme to get me to get emotional, so that I won't be able to operate fully come next round.

Or maybe he has a deeper motive. He keeps mentioning Kibe. Perhaps he has some sort of deluded fascination with him or this is a way of payback.

...

Either way..." thats when Kenji remembered something his father once had told him. "If you aren't willing to do what it takes to win, then you don't have what it takes to live. That is the rule of being a gambler boy.

Its either go big, or go in the ground." Said Kenji's father, Kenji remembered those words. Yet sometimes they never stuck with him...not until now.

Kenji leaned forward.

"One of them has to give up. I can try to appeal to Kat's sick nature, but I may not be able to use anymore of my body before this game even is finished.

And Kenji isn't looking to let up. Which is good, because the further he comes. The closer I get to proving him as the Trickster and in advance, Kibe as the white rabbit. His relationship with Kibe is exactly what the hypothesized relationship is between the two criminals. All I need is two rounds, two rounds and I can break him." Brandon thought as he then looked at his fingers for a moment and then back to Kenji.

"His acting has been nothing short of impressive, hes given me nothing but vagueness this whole time. Hes an expert liar and has the poker face of a God...I wonder what makes Kibe.

I need to finish this in the next two rounds. If the third one comes and he hasn't given me anything...then Kenji will have beaten me in this game.

But maybe...

Even then I could still pull a victory. It'd be dicey since no doubt he'll be the one the go next and decide the gamble, but if I go then it'll be over. To place everything on that next coin toss though...I can't risk it again...at least not until I'm sure I can't break him come these next rounds." Brandon thought.

"So?" Kenji asked, Brandon's eyes focused on Kenji. Kat was holding her hands over her mouth. Her legs quivering from the excitement and ecstasy she was feeling. The thought of them voluntarily hurting each other

...it was too much for her not to enjoy! She was feeling hot just from the thought of it.

"WELL!? What are we waiting for? Let's get to the fun!" Kat shouted with a pleasure and a lust for violence in her voice.

"You ready to continue? Fraudrin?" Kenji smirked, Brandon gripped his pants tightly. A small drop of sweat from his head came down, but...that would be the last. As it wasn't from nervousness, but from joy.

"Yea, lets keep going." Brandon smiled.