The Unseen Experiment Ayanokoji x Reader

Ch. 22 The Weight of the Cards

Background Context: For anyone who does not know the game they are playing is called BlackJack also known as 21.  It is kind of self explanatory but whoever gets the sum of 21 first is the winner or if they draw 5 cards and equal under 21 they are automatically the winner.  If a player wants another card they say "Hit"  If both players do not get 21 then the winner is whoever is closer to 21.  One card is down and then the other one is up, the opponents are allowed to see the card that is up. An Ace can be used as a one or an eleven.

Y/n's pov:

I walked into the small room of sterile silence as I was instructed to, there was a single chair for me to sit on.  I sat in the chair and looked at the screen in front of me.  It flickered to life before me, it displayed an online card game called Blackjack.  My opponent's number fllashed before me on the screen: 0045 I took a glance at my own ID: 0038.  These numbers meant something, I could feel it.  Did the White Room have its own twisted code?

"Shall we begin? I heard my opponents voice come through the speakers, it was artificially distorted voice

The first round started, I looked at my screen and saw I got a total of 17.  17  was pretty good, but I wondered if I should risk it to see if I could get a higher number or even 21.

"Hit" I said a bit nervously, but I kept my voice calm.  Then again my opponent should not be able to tell assuming my side is also artificially distorted too.

A 4 appeared on my screen.  That was perfect, Twenty-one

The screen then showed me 0045  cards, they got 18.  

"Overconfidence?" the other voice said.  I could not tell if they were curious because the voice is artificially distorted.  

"I would rather use a word like certainty" I replied, I did not want to come off as cocky.

"Lets see how certain you feel about the next round." The voice responded to me.

The next round started, and this time it felt different.  A 6 and a 7 appeared on my screen.  This hand was not particularly ideal.  The screen popped up with the options, Hit or Stand? 

"Hit," I said

The screen showed a 10...that meant my total was 23.  I lost, fuck.

I heard a laugh come through the speaker. "Certainty does not last forever.  See how quickly it can disappear?" This person's statement felt unnerving to me

I studied the screen, it felt like I was staring into a black void, I was determined to make this third and final round my own.  I calculated every possible outcome I could think of.  This last round had to me be more than just a simple card game; it was a test, to see if I can still change the board even when I can not see nor fully understand my opponent, especially when my speciality has been emotions most of the time I have been in the white room.

The final round began, my cards flashed onto my screen: a 9 and a 5.  Making it Fourteen.  This number was not certainly bad but it was not exactly a good draw either.  I could see my opponent had a 10.

The voice broke the tense silence again.  "Tell me, 0038," my opponent said.  "If two people happen to be born with equal potential but molded into two different shapes, would you say that makes one superior to the other?  Or would you say is it their choices that truly decide who they become?"

What type of question is this? Is this part of the test to try to throw me off, this definitely has to be one of the workers in the white room speaking.  

The question lingered in my head, it was quickly filling every crevice in my mind.  I had no answer, but maybe that was the point.  I was not ready to respond, until I won this game.  It did however make me consider my place in this room and my own journey through the harsh training of the white room.

I focused on my cards 

"Hit" I said 

A 6 suddenly flashed onto my screen. Now I am at 20...should I risk it for fun?  I really dont think this game will cost me anything.  I will see what my opponent does first.

"Hit" The other person said.  A 6 appeared on the screen.  They definitely did not bust yet, they are probably at 18 also.

Wait... does he also have  14 which would mean he is at 20 also?  Is that why he asked me such a strange question out of nowhere...but that would not make any sense.  He  wouldnt know unless he was a worker...so this is a test.

"Hit me again" I said.. the screen flashed an Ace of spades.  I can use the Ace as a 1 instead of an 11 which would put me at 21.  The screen then flashed  "Winner"

For some reason I did not feel very satisfied...my opponents question was echoing louder than my own thoughts.  

"Maybe you are right," I said.  "Maybe choice does play a role, but I think it might be irrelevant if you lose anyway 0045."

There was no response, atleast not yet.  The room was holding a tension I could feel. 

"So you won this round, but if you think winning in a game like this makes you stronger, than you are playing a different one than I am."

I felt the weight of his words on my shoulders.  This person did not just see this interaction as a simple game or atleast not entirely, and maybe not to me, either.  

I paused and let the silence hang in the air

"Games like this are only worth playing if there is something at stake," I replied to the voice, I had my doubts about it though.

"True" they replied "But once you have won everything, the game changes.  Then you find yourself wondering if it was even worth it all" 

The screen went black and said:

"Game Over"