Manipulation Game

Everyone got up and gathered around the table again, "I will shuffle the cards", said the white-haired boy, "can we really trust you?", questioned Blake, "that's for you to decide, If you don't want me to shuffle I'll drop the cards right now", his eyes grew cold again as he said, "but ask yourself this, why would you and everyone else decide to play if you didn't trust me in the first place?", the white-haired boy pushed the cards over to Blake, "go ahead", he said. Blake stared down at the cards, everyone stared back at him, he picked up the cards and his hands trembled, "what's with this guy, if he has the cards he can cheat, so why would I let him do it? But if I shuffle the cards, I can just shuffle myself three of each metal except tin, all I would have to do is slightly fold the corners of the ones I need, but how would I do it? Someone would surely notice!" Blake grits his teeth and closes his eyes, a bead of sweat drops from his brow, he threw the cards back on the table, "I trust you", he muttered. "If you can't trust yourself who is going to trust you", his cold gaze left, and everyone else averted their gaze back to him, before he took the cards, he rolled up his coat sleeves and showed his hands, he watched as everyone gave him a scrutinizing gander, he warned everyone saying that to avoid suspicion of others they should roll up their sleeves whilst picking up the various decks. And so, he began shuffling twisting, and turning the cards like they were a washing machine, building a tower then slicing each block one by one, he then began laying out the cards randomly, it appeared he was a master at the art of shuffling. Soon he had laid out all the cards, he sat down, "hey white hair can we play now?", asked a stranger, the white-haired boy got up and stood Infront of that stranger and said, "get a deck", the stranger walked over and looked at the great array of decks that lay Infront of him, he pondered over which one he should pick, thinking about both the luck and unluckiness he could face. The man watched as his array of choices seemed to get thinner and thinner, it was almost as if wherever he had looked last had been missing a few cards, he rubbed his chin as he thought, "is it me or is there fewer choices than before?", "excuse me sir but are you going to take those cards or not?", unconsciously the man said, "go ahead", and so the hand moved down and grabbed the cards, right in front of him, he darted his eyes around the table and to his surprise there was none left, "waahhh!", yelled the man, realizing what had just happened he snapped his head to the now walking away woman and grabbed her on the shoulder, "give them back", he said, the woman turned her head back and scrunched her face, "don't touch me!", she violently moved her shoulder from his grasp and walked off. The man looked around the room to see people already playing against each other, "why am I always late to the party?", he thought, he looked over the table again and started cursing, no matter how hard he looked he couldn't find a deck of cards, he then looked under the table, still no cards. 'BOCK', a loud thud emanated throughout the room, he looked over to the side, to see a little girl with blonde pigtails lying on the floor, "ouchie" she winced as she got back up, realizing she had dropped her cards she bent back down to pick them up, but they weren't there, "my cards! Why do I always have bad luck when I need it the most", "almost like taking candy from a baby, literally!", said the man walking away from the scene of the crime, cards in hand. "So, you're really not going to play anyone?", asked Juliana, "not till I see you beat one hundred people in a row, it's too hard if even you can't do that", responded Zanthiel, "oh for the love of… there isn't that many people and stop treating me like some goddess you weirdo!", she stormed off cards in hand and faced her next opponent, Zanthiel gripped his cards firmly in hand and said, "this is so unfair, there's no point in playing, anyway!". Zanthiel contained an incredibly uneven deck, he had six tins, five coppers, and one bronze, "there's no way I could win unless I got help", he muttered, "say that again kid!", "huh?", Zanthiel looked up to see the man who first went to select his deck, "you", he said, "that's right I'm that guy who holds up the lunch queue trying to decide between a fat burger or a saucy pizza!", "uh… what?", "call me Marquis", he said as his black-blue jelly-like afro bounced and wobbled, his thick beard bristling as he stroked it. "So, say that again", Zanthiel stared at him he peered back his rounded sunglasses staring back into Zanthiel's eyes. Zanthiel sighed and said, "ok um… Marquis you win, I said unless I got help, but aren't you the one who needs help, I mean you haven't even got a deck, you just stood there and looked at the cards go… should've been me, to be honest", Marquis grinned his pearly whites sparkling under the light, "or so you think!", he said as he pulled out the cards he had taken from the little girl from his brown jacket, he held out his matching brown hand and said, "shocked?", "kinda", "well you've just got to ride the waves like I do donny", Zanthiel scratched his head stared at him for a few seconds then said, "so h…", Marquis placed one finger on Zanthiel's mouth and said, "I'll help you, but you have to be quiet about it, were not supposed to be helping people donny, but cause I'm so goated I break rules and hope no one finds out", "my hero", whispered Zanthiel back. Zanthiel Introduced himself happily, "this plan better benefit me", said Zanthiel, "Oh it will kid, it will", said Marquis. So both of them discussed the plan deeply, Marquis reassuring Zanthiel every step of the way, and Zanthiel pressing him on the details every waking hour. "Ok you understand kid?", asked Marquis, "yeah, you're the best Marquis, but are you sure this is ok?, it doesn't really benefit you in any way", stated Zanthiel. "It does, adults have got to look out for the kids donny, besides I wouldn't be a great leader anyway, too much work, I'd rather sit back and pop a few beers", answered Marquis, "so what makes you think I'm cut out for it?", asked Zanthiel, "you won't know if you can do it unless you try, besides what's the harm in it, your playing to have fun, not win", "If only I had a mindset like that", mumbled Marquis. "Remember to start the game we both say 3,2,1 cross then bring out a card, do it in the order I said ok", Zanthiel nodded. "3,2,1 cross!", they both said, they each pulled out a card from their deck, (a game of Metallic Cross is normally four rounds but because of the influx of cards, its eight) as agreed Zanthiel pulled out a tin card and Marquis pulled out a copper card, "forge!", shouted Zanthiel, (there are a set of reserve cards in Metallic Cross acting as the new cards when forged, Shanice and Ray also made these beforehand for anyone starting a game), "well that's that, take your bronze card", Zanthiel discarded his in card and took a bronze card, Marquis discarded his copper card, (Discarding is when you put a card used for a fuse face down next to you meaning that card is now a blank, a card void of purpose). "3,2,1 cross!", once again Zanthiel took out a tin card and Marquis a copper one, "fuse!", shouted Zanthiel as he took another Bronze card whilst discarding his Tin card, "why, why would you do this for me Marquis? I'm so grateful, I'll definitely try to help you out too at some point… I think", "oho don't mention it donny, always glad to help… when it benefits me of course". So the same thing happened for another five rounds, "see how it feels to win donny", "yeah it's so, uh how do I say this… fun!", "treasure that fun, it doesn't last forever". Now came the final round, "you ready donny?", "yeah and thank you so much Marquis", "don't mention it, but really I should thank you, you're the best, what a godsend you are donny", they both looked at each other, Zanthiel blinded by happiness, "heh I've only got one card left donny, so put me out of my misery", "3,2,1 cross", they both shot-gunned their last cards and out came another tin card and… and. "Yes, yes, thanks for all your help Marquis, without you I wouldn't have had all this fun, remember to call on me if you get stuck!", amongst his blinding happiness Marquis said, "open your eyes kid", "wha…", Zanthiel calmed down a little then looked back at the card Marquis was holding out. It was a silver card. Zanthiel dropped his card, his mouth was agape, "yeah it was too good to be true after all, I'm so stupid, how meaningless my existence must be to be roped in like that". "Sorry kid I only have fun when I'm winning, but you reminded me of myself some many moons ago, so I wanted you to taste fun before you become a couped up shell unable to break out for good, you can come to thank me later", Zanthiel sat there not saying a word his head hung low, "stop being a sheep, be the shepherd", Marquis took all of Zanthiel's deck, "later Donny!", he said grinning. "What's wrong with me…".