immamartillo | 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.]

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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...?]

[That's the question Firo asks himself pretty much every time he talks to her. Sorry, Grune.

Again, he just looks at her for a moment. He's hardly lived two decades but he thinks he already has ample proof from his life alone that it doesn't always work out.]

...You can't think like that. Things aren't guaranteed to turn out right, you need to be careful!

[She shakes her head.]

Yes they will. Because if you're ever in trouble, someone will always lend a helping hand.

Funny, I don't remember it workin' out that way for me.

[Or maybe it did, technically, it just took years for that helping hand to find him. Firo could have done without the wait.

He knows he'll get nowhere arguing this--and he'd rather not get into it with a friend--so he scratches his head and tries o think up a different tactic.]

...Anyway, isn't it better to just try and avoid trouble in the first place?

[Aaaaaand she totally doesn't understand what he's referencing. Oops.]

Hmm.... [She thinks about this for a bit.] Yes, I think that sounds like a good thing.

[Even if she isn't sure she knows where he's going with this....]

[It takes Firo a moment to get his mind back to what they were originally talking about.]

Right. So do your best not to lose in the first place, okay? Whoever's playing against you knows what they got themself into. Just look after yourself.

Okay, Firo. I promise I'll do my best.

[At...whatever it is he's talking about. She hasn't quite remembered that yet.]

I'm glad to hear it. Thanks, Grune.

[He catches on that she might not remember what exactly they're talking about, so he points to the cards in front of them.]

At the game. But you shouldn't lose at anything, really.

[Light dawns. Thank you, Firo!]

Yes, you should always try your hardest.

[Thought.] Unless it's important for someone else to win. Then you should help them.

[And here we go again.]

Yeah!

[He beams, delighted that she seems to get it.

...But then she adds that last part and his smile vanishes.]

...You weren't actually listenin, were you?

Oh, of course I was.

[It isn't very nice not to listen to your friends.]

...Right.

[It'd be fruitless getting into that argument again, so he shrugs and gets ready for a switch in tactics.]

Fine, do what you want. Maybe you'd rather help people than play yourself? Like, you could give advice and stuff, but it wouldn't be your money at stake.

[Since he sees competition as the point of playing, that route seems like a viable compromise between their ideas of how to play the game.]

[Firo, you're a genius.]

That's a nice idea! I'd love to help!

[Idea!] Maybe I could help you.

[Perfect! He's glad that she seems to like the idea, but surprised at her offer.]

...You wanna help me?

Oh, yes, of course! After all, you're my friend.

[Big smile!]

[When she puts it like that, there's no way he can say he doesn't need help. Instead, he smiles back, nodding quickly.]

Thanks! I bet we'd make a great team; nobody'd stand a chance.

I think we'd be a great team, too! [And that bit about nobody standing a chance is just going to be passing right over her head....]

We should practice lots so we can get even better.

Yeah, 'cause practice makes perfect. We'll be a--what do they call it?--a well oiled machine, right?

[The problem is that he's never actually played with someone on his side before, so he has no idea where they'd start.]

...So how do we practice this together?

Hmm.... Maybe we should play some games.

[Against whom, though?]

Yeah! I think there's some people around here who know how to play. I've got two friends who do, actually. I could ask 'em if they're up for a game sometime.

[He frowns thoughtfully.]

...Though I don't know if Czes'd wanna be dragged into this. He's been kind of a sour puss lately.

[Actually, if Firo thinks about it, Czes is in dire need of a Grune-style pep talk on the joys of having friends.]

Oh, my. Is something the matter?

[Maybe they can help Firo's friend, then!]

I think maybe he misses our friends back home too much. He was just gettin' to know everybody when he wound up here.

[Firo knows full well that's not the whole reason. He adds:]

...Or he's upset that I'm here instead of Ennis. She's his older sister. Basically.

[Technically Czes is Ennis's "souvenir" from their friends Isaac and Miria.]

[But that doesn't seem right.]

Can't you both come to Luceti?

[Action]!

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