immamartillo | 7th Hat Flip [Voice/Action]

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7th Hat Flip [Voice/Action]

[Voice]

[After having a close friend return home a few weeks ago, Firo's been largely keeping to himself. He was aware of the danger of losing friends in Luceti, but it always seemed abstract and alien until it actually happened.

It's boredom that finally prompts him to address the network. That and the concern that if he doesn't keep using his skills he'll be near useless when he gets back home. Why not kill two birds with one stone?]

Does anybody here wanna play cards? Any kinda game is fine, or even if you just wanna learn. Most of 'em aren't that hard to pick up and I don't mind teachin' anyone.

[His tone suddenly becomes less light and takes a turn for the grouchier.]

But if you're gonna cheat, save it. I'll know.

[He wasn't put in charge of a Family casino for nothing.]

[Action]

[Soon after he makes his message, Firo will be rummaging through the item shop for a few packs of cards, carefully going through each one he finds to make sure they're complete. Then he'll linger a little while by the art supplies to pick up some markers.

...No, he is not going to be using them to mark the cards.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Nice save, there, Firo.]

Oh, why not?

'Cause there's less cards that actually mean somethin', I think. See, when you have a hand the rest of the seven cards are there, you're just not exactly usin' 'em. So...

[He probably should have addressed that earlier, since he's just been showing her "hands" as if they're only the five "significant" cards or fewer. He steps back and sighs, glancing at her sheepishly.]

...I've never really taught anybody about this before. Most of the people I work with already know how...

That's all right, Firo. [She gives him an encouraging smile.] You're doing a good job.

[He blinks. It might not be a completely reliable assessment, considering it's coming from one of the nicest people he knows, but he'd sure like it to be true.]

Really? You got all that?

Oh, yes. I understand it perfectly!

[orly Grune.]

[He's not entirely convinced, but it's not like there's anything he can do about that.]

...All right. That's good. You wanna try goin' a round, then? I didn't show you all the hands, but you know what to look for: either the highest card, cards that are the same number, or cards in the same suit that're all next to eachother.

[He wonders if that might have been a better way to put it from the start; it's less to memorize.]

All right! That sounds like a good idea.

[It may be easier to memorize, but it's not easy enough....]

[This should be interesting...

He starts shuffling the deck and deals them each two face down cards and a face up card. Setting the deck on the table, he taps her face down cards.]

These're called your "hole" cards. You can look at 'em anytime you want.

[He should probably have mentioned that she's just supposed to peek and to leave them face down...]

[He probably should, since she picks them up without taking even the slightest care to keep him from seeing what they are.

...In fact, she goes so far as to show them to him: the ten of diamonds and the two of spades.]

Are these good?

Wh-?

[He realizes he should probably turn away to try and avoid seeing them, but surprise keeps him staring straight at them.]

Well, not now that I've seen 'em! Y-you're supposed to keep 'em a secret!

Oh, am I?

[She sure doesn't seem bothered by the fact that she's pretty much just lost all chance of winning this round.]

Yes! I'd know how to bet if I saw all your cards!

[His raised voice isn't the product of anger or frustration, just dismay and his usual excitableness. Still, he realizes that she might think he's being mean, so he quiets down.]

...I'm sorry. I shoulda' told you before. How about we deal again?

[Luckily, Grune isn't offended--it takes a hell of a lot more than that to upset her. All she doesn't hand over her cards and say agreeably:] All right, Firo. That sounds like a good idea.

Thanks.

[He nods and shuffles their cards back into the deck, then hands them each another two face down and one face up.]

Remember, you can peek at 'em but don't let me see. Most people look by pickin' up the corners, like this. You should be able to see enough to tell what it is.

[He demonstrates by lifting slightly one of the back corners of one of his facedown cards so that he can catch a glimpse. That look and his subsequent check of the next card reveals he has a three and a seven; not the best starting point.]

All right.

[She watches him, then copies his action carefully. A four and a six. Is that good?]

What happens now?

Now's when we'd bet. You'd put somethin' down and I'd match it or, if I thought I was gonna win, go higher. In later rounds when you bet you can fold--or quit, basically. You can't win, but it keeps you from losin' too much money if you know you're gonna lose anyway. Best to play it safe, right?

[He smiles wryly.]

But it's better to avoid that possibility in the first place and only play people you know you can beat. You learn to pick those guys out of the crowd after a while.

Oh, but what if they want to win?

[Wouldn't that not be very nice to play with them if you knew they would lose?

...Grune is really not cut out for this game.]

Of course they wanna win. But you'd wanna--okay, maybe not you...

[He shakes his head.]

Just forget about the other person for a minute, okay? Wouldn't you wanna win too?

[Forget about something? This, Grune can do.]

Oh, yes. Winning is very nice. But it doesn't matter whether you win or lose, as long as you have fun!

It matters if losin' means the other guy clears you out!

"Clears you out"?

[What does that mean?]

Sorry. It's when somebody takes all your money--not like a robbery, they win it in a game like this.

Oh, is that bad?

[Give it up, Firo. You're a saint to get even this far.]

[By this point, he is sorely tempted to give up. He just stares at her for a moment after she speaks, and it takes every ounce of effort to keep the edge out of his words.]

...Yeah, it's real bad. Unless you're the type to start stealin' you'd be without food or anything until you could get back on your feet!

[And yet as bad as he's saying it is, he feels no guilt about how his job involves "clearing people out"...]

Oh, I'm sure that wouldn't happen. After all, everything always turns out all right in the end.

[How has this woman managed to live as long as she has...?]

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