Open

[foundafamily]

Who: Firo, Sato, and anyone else. 4th wall characters most definitely welcome.
What: Poker night
Where: Delight’s bar
When: During the 4th wall
Warnings: Will update as needed

[For Sato]
Firo’s just secured himself two glasses and a bottle when he sees Sato enter the bar. He waves with the bottle as he makes his way back to the table he’s picked out.

“You play cards as much as you play that ‘vita’ thing?”

If he does, this should be pretty interesting. He’s already looking forward to the potential challenge of going toe to toe with someone who seems to be somewhat limited in terms of his expressions. An easy mark is always welcome in his casino, but a challenge is just fine when he’s playing for fun.

[Open]

Firo’s commandeered one of the tables near the bar, set up so that his back is to the wall and he can face the entrance. His hat sits proudly by his elbow.

He has a few decks of cards—some are, on closer inspection, improvised pieces of paper and cardboard—in front of him. There are a few piles of random odds and ends—buttons, small stones, and more—divided into white, red, and blue.

When he spots someone walk in, he looks up from his drink and starts shuffling cards.

“You want in?”

Comments

[infinite1up]

"Not really." He played some back in the marines, but that was a long long time ago, and there was always moaning and complaining from the other guys when he joined a game, so despite the 'Pokerface' nickname, he's not exactly a card shark. Still, he knows the rules and how to bluff... and he does enjoy a good game, even the ones that don't involve bloody murder.

Before sitting down, however, he makes his own short stop at the bar to get... well, there's no coffee without the folks involved in Delight's deal, so he settles for a ginger ale.

Bringing his own drink to the table, he adds with the faintest of concern, "Actually, it's gone missing. I hope the fellow who took it is looking after it. I can't just go buy another."

[foundafamily]

As Sato sits, Firo tips the bottle--something unlabeled, but it looks close enough like wine that he'll try it--towards him. Surely he needs something stronger. He'll nudge forward the extra glass too.

He raises both eyebrows at the news. "Seriously? What kinda idiot thinks they're gonna get away with that in a place like this? It's way too easy to track people down here."

Not because of the Guard or anything--rather, in spite of them. Where Firo's from, such a thief would be tracked down by the owner and would probably wind up in several pieces.

Speaking of pieces, Firo frowns, recalling their time at Rage's temple. Maybe Sato'll kill two birds with one stone and 'volunteer' the thief for more bullets. Being a former pickpocket himself, Firo supposes it's an occupational hazard even if thinking of it makes him uncomfortable. "What're you gonna do about it?"

[infinite1up]

"Oh, I'm good," Sato smiles, brushing off the offered glass and clearly content with his non-alcoholic drink. Drinking too much is fun, but it causes problems. He's not concerned about the problems it creates for other people, but he'd rather keep his composure here and now.

"I'm sure I'll work something out," Sato says mildly, although he and Firo are clearly on the same mental wavelength in regards to the thief's eventual fate. He just needs to find him again, and come up with a new surprise. "But if you see a green fellow around somewhere in the city, you should give me a call."

[foundafamily]

"Green? Shouldn't be too hard to find." Somebody like that'll stick out; even a place as weird as this doesn't have many green people that Firo's seen.

He's not sure if telling on said green person would count as ratting or as helping an acquaintance out. But he'll figure that out if he ever comes to it. There's no point in thinking too hard.

"Well, good luck with that. Anyway--" Sorry, Sato, but he's not going to dwell too much on that problem when he can try to segue to something more interesting (to him). "--you in for a game? You have to know poker, right?"

What self-respecting man doesn't? Having grown up among hoodlums, Firo has certain expectations of people.

[infinite1up]

"Of course," he returns with a smile as usual. "Five card stud? Texas hold 'em? If it's not one of those two, well, I'm sure I'll pick it up as we go."

"Although the question remains, what are we playing for?" Sato's not beyond the idea of playing just to keep score as it were, or even just as a way to pass the time, but he recalls something about a casino, and Firo, while a little naive and short-tempered, also seems like a fairly practical sort.

[foundafamily]

"Hold 'em's gettin' pretty popular where I'm from. Let's do that."

Firo beams at the question, pleased that Sato asked. He drops the deck of cards and instead cups his hands around the piles of colorful knick-knacks in front of him. "We can use these as chips. I'll give you some to start." He generously nudges over 10 white, 5 red, and 2 blue.

"What to play for..." Hm. He squints up at the ceiling, because he hadn't really thought too far ahead. "There's no money here, but we could do stories. That's what Miriam wanted to bet for before."

[infinite1up]

Well, now. He'd been thinking of something a little more exciting, but on the other hand, why waste a perfectly good opportunity to learn a bit more about one of his 'fellow' immortals?

Sato organizes his makeshift chips neatly to the side, next to his glass. "Why, that sounds like a wonderful idea," he says, settling into his seat and waiting for the first cards to be dealt. "Of course only true stories, hmm?"

[foundafamily]

In the interest of fairness--mainly just to keep things fun--Firo gives himself the same number and amount of chips as Sato. He shoves the rest off to the side.

He shuffles the cards quickly, maybe even a little showily. "Huh? Yeah, sure, I guess. Higher stakes that way, right?"

He deals them each two facedown cards and waits for Sato to bet. He pretends to take a peek at his own cards when he does, though he's really watching Sato out of the corner of his eye.

[infinite1up]

It's apparent immediately that trying to get a read on Sato is going to be something else... he's smiling as usual, lifting up the corners just enough to get a quick peek at his cards before putting them back down.

"And the higher the bet the better the story? Let's see now... the white ones are the low-value, I assume," he says, sliding a single white chip into the middle of the table. Start things off nice and easy and see where Firo goes with it.

[foundafamily]

"Yep. It's hard without actual money here, but back home white's the lowest, red's higher, and blue's higher than that."

He really should've found a way to convert the dollar amounts to something related to stories. He notes that for next time.

The bet doesn't tell him too much yet either, but he's not too concerned. It's still early in the game. Firo wouldn't have thought that a guy who'd kill himself repeatedly for bullets to be risk-averse, so he decides not to read too much into this early bet.

"What, you're afraid you won't have anything good to tell me?" He matches, though, wanting to give Sato the same noncommittal wager.

He deals three cards face up in the middle of the table, ready for the next betting round.

[infinite1up]

Sato doesn't look at his two cards a second time, leaving them face-down as he slides out another single white chip. "Raise."

Apparently Sato has about the same thoughts as Firo, suggesting pleasantly as he taps one of two blue chips with one finger, "Well, we can't just wager life-changing tales right away, can we?"

[foundafamily]

"Re-raise." Firo adds three of his own white chips this time. If someone has to escalate this, he will.

He grins and shrugs one shoulder as he adds another card face-up to the middle of the table. "Why not? It'd make it more fun, wouldn't it?"

He's sure there are things he doesn't want to share with Sato, but he realizes that his biggest secret--immortality--is a pointless thing to hide from another immortal. It's freeing, in a way, just as much as it is unnerving. He can't forget that he still needs to figure out if Sato knows how to devour an immortal.

[infinite1up]

"It would. Call." Sato replies, without the slightest change in expression, not checking his cards once again as he matches Firo's bet. He doesn't change anything on the next card either, simply saying "Check."

Firo's right of course, that a big bet is more fun. But as much as he likes playing games, Sato also likes to win, and seeing Firo's reaction to a conservative strategy is more information to add to the pile.

[foundafamily]

Firo sighs, long-suffering. He starts dealing Shadow a hand anyway. Seven Card Stud, he decides, and he gives them each the first two face-down cards and the one face-up card. "So more reason to practice. Do you give up when you're not perfect at stuff?"

[foundafamily]

Firo raises an eyebrow and continues as stubbornly as if he hasn't been insulted. "No. I know I'm good at this stuff. You just need to listen better." He pauses, because he actually likes the sound of that. Warming to his role as the harsh martinet, he smiles a little as he continues, "Not just to learn the game, you know. You need to pay attention to the other players if you're ever going to do well at it."

Is that actually Shadow's problem? Even Firo's not totally sure, but he thinks it seems to work well enough.

[foundafamily]

Firo's lost for a reply at first, though he does hide a smile at Shadow's ears. Poker is simply a natural aspect of life. "Why? Everybody likes it. Don't you play anything like this back home?

"You can start the bets, by the way. Use these." He pushes 10 white 'chips' (really just odds and ends he has on the table), 5 blue, and 2 red toward Shadow.

[foundafamily]

Firo starts off conservative, adding in two white chips.

"I'll let you decide. Back home, we'd bet money. Here there's no money, so we've gotta get creative. Miriam and I did stories before. Loser had to tell one."

He deals them each another face-up card and nods to Shadow.

[foundafamily]

Firo raises an eyebrow. "Why not? Acting like you've got something to hide just makes me wanna hear it more."

Not entirely true. Truthfully, if Shadow had seemed really evasive and uncomfortable when mentioning his story, Firo would back off. And he makes a mental note to do so depending on how Shadow reacts. Everyone has their secrets. Given the way Shadow's gaze isn't wavering, though, Firo assumes that this story isn't one of Shadow's secrets.

[foundafamily]

Firo's dismissive snort at Shadow's claim turns to surprise. "Me? I haven't hidden anything from you."

He doesn't skulk around spying on people like Shadow does, that's for sure!