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Post by Jules on Apr 6, 2008 16:45:53 GMT -5
It was an odd sight watching Diaspro lumber into the Faded with James at an always close second and Jasper somewhere in back. They didn't seem like your typical patrons, but it was hard to distinguish any of them as either Nightmare or Dream.
Except for maybe the snottish sneer that curled Diaspro's lip and the feintly anxious look on James' face. Diaspro scoured the place, searching out for cute girls. The place seemed to have an abundance of ugly ones.
Diaspro sat at a table after wiping it down with a fistful of her dress. "Ugh. Guess Nightmares don't posess the sense of smell." She commented loudly. James hushed her, although anyone trying to punch Diaspro or otherwise harm her would probably injure only themselves.
Ever try boxing with a statue?
I suggest you don't.
James took a seat next to her, of course and was too shy to scope out any beauties that might be around, even from a purely platonic perspective.
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Post by Miss Jack on Apr 6, 2008 22:41:29 GMT -5
Jasper trailed behind them, big enough and snarly enough to appear like any local Nightmare patron.
He sat down; James had his eyes downcast, and Diaspro was scowling at everyone (no surprise), so he grudgingly took it upon himself to examine all the female faces in the room.
After a moment, he touched Diaspro's shoulder. "What about that one? Spanish, maybe--- at the gambling table?"
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Post by Maestro on Apr 6, 2008 22:59:13 GMT -5
Tonight was a good night. Even though there had been a bit of a fiasco with Mr. Blu, Bela was back at the tables and she was rakin' in the cash.
"Cualquier persona? Anyone else?" she asked, looking around the room. One of the regulars stepped forward, thinking that he could beat Bela. She raised an eyebrow. "So, you think your luck is better than mine is tonight, do you, Stephen?" she asked, clearly familiar with her challenger. At the man's nod and smile, Bela laughed. "We shall see."
As the two of them gambled, she noticed a rather large man (was he a Nightmare? he could be) looking at her. She paid no attention to him; she needed to concentrate on the contest in front of her.
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Post by Jules on Apr 7, 2008 7:36:12 GMT -5
Diaspro followed Jasper's line of gaze and sneered just a little. It was dark enough inside, did the girl really have to ruin an otherwise pretty face with a clunky pair of too-dark glasses? Although she did appear to be the most promising candidates among the crowd of strippers and just plain ugly girls.
"Alright, anyone good at gambling? If we can get her indebted us..." James, who now felt more comfortable with something to focus on nodded his head. "I can count cards. Well."
The look Diaspro gave him--a very slight smile--was pretty much worth being dismembered for. Finally his brains could be counted on--needed and quite important. He beamed a little and looked at Jasper.
"Unless you're some sort of Poker virtuoso."
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Post by Miss Jack on Apr 7, 2008 23:47:09 GMT -5
Jasper frowned. He was a whiz at poker. Being the embodiment of luck, and all.
"No," he said flatly. He inclined his head toward the gambling table. "You'll have to challenge her to BlackJack, I don't know what she's playing."
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Post by Jules on Apr 8, 2008 11:45:22 GMT -5
Diaspro shook her head. Not only did she think that the girl would get suspicious if some random geek approached her and challenged her to a game that she wasn't even playing, but she was well aware that Jasper was probably better for the job. She just hadn't thought that counting cards wouldn't have worked for Poker.
"No, Jasper's good at poker and he isn't wearing a pocket protector."
James put a hand over his pocket protector....protectively and scowled. "Well, fine." He pouted.
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Post by Miss Jack on Apr 8, 2008 12:53:05 GMT -5
Jasper inwardly sighed, long and loud, but to Diaspro and James he just shrugged. He gave James an apologetic look before standing to his feet and approaching the poker table. He pulled up an empty chair and set a small wad of money on the table. "Deal me in," he said in his low, raspy voice. It was all the money he had to his name, but he appeared comfortable, if not a bit bored, as if it were merely pocket change. He'd make it up eventually.
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Post by Maestro on Apr 8, 2008 13:06:09 GMT -5
Bela had been exchanging a joke with Stephen when the man she had noticed earlier sat down at the table. She raised an eyebrow. He was joining in, now, when she was playing so well?
"You must be new," Stephen said to him, laughing.
She shot him a glare, which the man could feel through her sunglasses. He stood up hastily and went to the bar, leaving the table to those still playing.
"Si," Bela said crisply. She nodded to the Nightmare behind the table, the regular dealer. There were only about two others playing besides Bela and Jasper, but they would fold soon enough; Bela played here enough to know most of the regulars.
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Post by Miss Jack on Apr 8, 2008 13:19:39 GMT -5
Jasper gave a small smile. "I feel lucky tonight," he said.
He picked up his cards as they flashed across the table surface in front of him, fanning them out just enough to read the printings. Two jacks, a nine, a three, and the Ace of Spades. The makings of a full house, and if he were extremely lucky, he'd get another Jack and an Ace.
He pushed the money forward. "I'm in."
His confidence elicited a sigh from the Nightmare beside him, who slapped his hand down in a fold.
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Post by Maestro on Apr 8, 2008 16:44:46 GMT -5
"Well, good luck," Stephen called from across the room.
Bela shot him a look; he wouldn't be interrupting again. He hastily turned back to his drink, intending to get rip-roaring drunk so that he could ignore what was going on across the room.
She smiled, looking at her cards. Mmm, she had a pretty good hand. And, sure enough, the Nightmare beside the newcomer folded, just as Bela had predicted. Now, within the next few plays, the other would fold, too: Bela was certain of that.
And now, it was time for the fun to begin. Bela smiled, adding her own money to the pile.
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Post by Miss Jack on Apr 8, 2008 17:00:30 GMT -5
Jasper pretended to fret. "Two," he told the dealer, and the Nightmare nodded and exchanged the cards. Just as he'd predicted. He continued to raise, all the while feigning unease. He was the first to go all in, and when he spread his two aces and three jacks across the table, he knew he'd won.
They continued for another hour. Bela had been playing very well, and so had a lot of money to lose. Jasper, of course, lost too. Luck could only pull you so far, and Bela's skill exceeded his own. But gambling is, and will always be, a game of luck and they were down to their last hand. Whoever one this one would be cleaned out, and in Bela's case, severely in debt. She didn't know when to let go, Jasper thought, and the fact that he'd been beating her on her lucky streak had clearly nettled her.
"One," he told the dealer, and when it was slid toward him, he left it face down. In his hand was the ten, jack, queen and king of spades. The unimaginable luck of being dealt that in one hand was almost inconceivable. He would bet more than just money that the card that had just been dealt to him was the winning ace. He didn't touch it.
The mystery card appeared to every member of their audience (which had grown quite a bit since he joined the table) as a foolish move. He betted recklessly, which made it all the more foolish, and so Bela felt more confident in matching his ever-growing stakes.
When it finally came time to reveal their hands, Jasper laid out his four cards one by one. A collective gasp hushed through the crowd. That last card, the card he hadn't looked at... it couldn't be. He flipped it over, and set the Ace in it's rightful place against the king.
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Post by Maestro on Apr 9, 2008 0:09:08 GMT -5
He hadn't looked at that card, but when he turned it over, it seemed as though he had known it would be the ace. Standing up, fury practically radiating from her, Bela said in a low, deadly voice, "You cheated, ladrĂ³n." She would admit that he had been quite lucky throughout the rest of the game, but the only way he could have known what that card was without looking at it was through cheating.
"I do not take kindly to those who would cheat in order to win," she hissed, the eyes behind her dark glasses narrowed. Oh, if there was one sort of person she would love to turn into stone every time she met one it was a cheater.
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Post by Jules on Apr 9, 2008 20:31:40 GMT -5
Jasper being accused of cheating couldn't be good. This chick wouldn't feel inclined to pay her now massive debt if she became convinced that Jasper was cheating. How convienent for her though. Diaspro had been watching the whole thing, so had every one else, it was clear Jasper hadn't been so much as peeking. But the moment she lost, Oh look, a cheater!
Diaspro's expression curved into a frown and she looked at James and cocked a brow. He was feverently thinking of a way to prove Jasper's innocence, but was drawing a blank. Alogorithms weren't exactly helping in this situation.
"I have no clue." He hushed desperately. "No surprise there."
James sulked. That had stung, but Diaspro had already moved on. She was trying to convey a questioning look to Casper (a nickname of hers for him). Hopefully he had it all under control.
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Post by Miss Jack on Apr 11, 2008 23:44:56 GMT -5
Jasper remained calm. He rose to his feet, now towering over her, and folded his arms over his chest. "I didn't cheat, ma'am," and he kept his tone respectful. She was a good gambler.
"Surely you can recognize a long stretch of good luck when you see one. And I'm sure, as a fellow gambler, you know what it feels like to just know that it's the card you need, because you just feel that lucky. It feels right. That's why I didn't turn the card over."
He cut his somber tone, and now frowned in a much more menacing expression. "Since I didn't cheat, I doubt you have proof that I have done so, but if you've somehow managed to magically produce some, please share."
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Post by Maestro on Apr 20, 2008 20:13:15 GMT -5
Though most people would have been phased to see someone towering over them, Bela just adjusted her gaze upwards. She was far too angry to be frightened or to even think of caution.
"I am also able to recognize when people count cards or use their powers to win." That last part had almost been a surprise to her, but come to think of it, it was entirely possible, in this world, after all.
But, Bela could also tell when she was fighting a losing battle (well, sometimes). Glaring at the onlookers, she hissed, "Clear off," before gesturing to Jasper to follow her. "We'll discuss this without the variety of people here. It is likely to cause an all out brawl between people supporting you and people supporting me if we stay."
She was fuming and it was easy to tell. At the same time, she would try to be civil, but it was a very good thing that she was wary of her gaze. Her looks could kill but she wasn't to that point quite yet.
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