House of Cards

Hello readers, welcome to this fanfic inspired by Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift. I don't really have a whole lot to say going into this first chapter, except that I hope that those of you who read it enjoy it as much I enjoy writing it.

So let's kick things off with the prologue, pull up your seat, grab a drink, read and enjoy.

Disclaimer: All characters, elements, and settings are the property of their respective owners.


Scattered Hand

The pub was as busy as usual, clan men standing at the counter asking for drinks or for a look at the quest roster, and the more casual customers just sitting at their corner tables exchanging gossip.

At one particular table sat two humes and a nu mou, the nu mou was dressed in the standard green hat and robes of illusionists, while one hume was in the standard cap and vest get up of hunters. The final hume in the blue coat standard to blue mages was sitting at the table, leaning on his elbows and playing with the feather on his blue hat looking incredibly bored.

"Dragon Maw was incredible at the Clan Games this year!" The illusionist said before taking a sip of his drink.

"No surprise there," the blue mage sighed, "Dragon Maw dominated the last two years as well."

"I wouldn't say dominated," the hunter replied, "Last year Blue Chocobo and Ahriman Eye gave them a run for their money."

"Ahriman Eye also did well this year," the illusionist chipped in.

"Oh please, yes they did okay but they were nothing up against Dragon Maw," The blue mage leaned back in his seat, grabbed his drink and took a large swig of it before practically dropping it back on the table.

"I'm willing to bet if Ahriman Eye entered their best man into the competition they'd have won," The hunter said as he finished off his drink. "Barman! Another round!" he called back to the counter.

"You mean Kendrick?" the blue mage asked.

"Who else?"

"I don't know," the illusionist shook his head, "Kendrick may well be the strongest man in Jylland, but he is just one man."

"One man who could've given the rest of his clan the edge they needed for the Clan Games," the hunter said with confidence as his drink arrived from the counter.

"Bah, Kendrick never takes part in the games," the blue mage shrugged, "Not this year, not the last years, and not next year," he then took another big gulp of his drink.

"So you can see the future now?" the illusionist asked sarcastically.

"Well one thing's for sure," the blue mage continued, "Dragon Maw stomped the competition so hard that three of this year's clans are well out of the running to coming back next year."

"Three!?" The hunter nearly choked on his drink when he heard this. "Was it Lilith Kiss? Worgen Pack?"

"Nah I heard those guys are still well in the running for coming back next year."

"Oh good," the hunter sighed in relief. "I'd hate to not see Lilith Kiss come back next year," the hunter said with a smile, "Of course it'd be a shame for Worgen Pack too!" he quickly added when he noticed the other two staring at him.

"Right…" the illusionist replied, clearly not buying the statement, "Regardless, any idea who the contenders are for those three openings?"

"How should I know? This year's Clan Games just ended," the blue mage said with a shrug. The three sat at the table quietly for several minutes just enjoying the drinks, getting new ones from the pub master whenever necessary.

The hunter was now starting his fifth round and looking a little tipsy as he put the mug to his lips. He paused for a moment, and then set the mug down. "Actually, you know who'd really have beat Dragon Maw?"

"Who?" the illusionist asked.

"Not this again…" the blue mage sighed.

"Royal Flush!" the hunter said as a grin stretched across his face.

"C'mon man, that clan has already…"

"What makes you so sure?" the illusionist asked, cutting off the blue mage.

"Have I told you this story? The quest that made them famous?" the hunter asked the illusionist.

"You told me," the blue mage replied.

"Everyone knows that story," the illusionist answered.

"But I was there!" the hunter quickly responded.

"Really?"

"That's right you weren't with us when he told me the story," the blue mage noted.

"I was visiting family in a little nowhere village in Targ Wood about, how long's it been now? Five years ago, that's right," the hunter began, "during my visit a hoard of bandits and cutthroats invaded the village. Not just one bandit clan mind you, but a huge alliance of bandits! Four major bandit leaders formed an alliance and decided their first major act would be to ransom the village and its mayor!

Of course the first thing that was done was to put a bill for a quest out on the pub. One after another clans would try, and fail to get past this unprecedented union of bandits. Even the best of the best clans at the time lost to the bandit's leaders. And as I learned later and you guys know, Ahriman Eye's elite, including Kendrick were all over in Ordalia, and it wasn't likely they'd be coming home anytime soon, and of course Dragon Maw wasn't formed at that time. It looked as though this quest was impossible and after a few days clans stopped trying."

The Hunter's gaze grew more distant as he recalled these events, "My relatives and I were losing hope and just praying that the mayor was going to survive long enough for the ransom money to arrive. But then I heard the sounds of thunder striking, steel clashing, and hoarse cries for help, and I couldn't help but look outside. There they were, larger than life, the four Aces of Royal Flush!" the hunter stood up and leaned forward as he grew more excited.

The Unstoppable Fist, that martial arts master called the Ace of Spades felled bandits one after the other with a single punch apiece! The ones that really annoyed him were sent flying down the dusty streets while others ran in terror!

Those who tried to escape were stopped by the Immovable Guard, the Ace of Clubs. Any who tried to go through her only wound up with broken weapons and gaping wounds! Those who tried to go past her suffered both the gashes and burns whether from fire, ice, or lightning!

Reinforcements never made it near them when the Spiritual Maiden, the Ace of Diamonds pounded her staff into the ground! Every strike of her staff conjured some massive creature that rained magical destruction down on the bandits!

The curs didn't even have a chance to use us as hostages; the Silent Shot, the Ace of Hearts feathered any bandits that ran for the homes or even for the other exits from the village! Sometimes her arrows glowed with magical light before felling a bandit in one shot!"

The hunter slowly sat back down but kept holding his hands up, trembling with excitement, "Finally those bandit leaders, the main problem with this quest, all tried to step up to the Four Aces, and they all fell in an instant! The four best members of Royal Flush easily completed the quest that most had deemed impossible, and they became the most famous clan in Jylland in a matter of days!

I will never forget that day for as long as I live…" the hunter sighed blissfully as he finished his story and took another sip of his drink.

"You won't let me forget it either," the blue mage remarked.

"I admit I like hearing your version of it better than how most everyone else tells it," the illusionist commented. "But you know we won't see Royal Flush at any Clan Games."

"Yeah I know," the hunter sighed, "Royal Flush disbanded barely a year later; I was shocked at the news."

"So was I," the blue mage added, "they got famous, became the strongest clan in Jylland, got the best jobs for months, and then just like that," the blue mage snapped his fingers to emphasize his point, "they disbanded. No explanation whatsoever."

"I know the Ace of Spades started his own clan with his most loyal followers," the illusionist remarked before sipping from his mug.

"What about the rest?" the blue mage asked.

"Wasn't one of them granted a noble title?" the hunter asked.

"I don't know, actually I seem to recall hearing that the Ace of Clubs had a clan a few years back. It might still be around," the illusionist added.

"I remember hearing that too."

"No word on the other two aces though?" the blue mage asked.

"Not that I heard," the hunter replied.

"I heard in passing while I was in Moorabella that the Ace of Diamonds lived there, but I never found out if it was true," the illusionist answered.

"Anything about the Ace of Hearts?" the hunter asked the illusionist.

"Not at all."

"Oh well…" the blue mage sighed, disappointed. He leaned back in his chair and took another gulp of his drink. "Hey guys, while I've still got some drink left in this mug how about a toast?"

"To what?" his friends asked.

"To the clans both old and new!" the blue mage raised his mug.

"To the heroes who dare to do the impossible!" the hunter raised his mug.

"To the drunken louts whose pub tab we pay in quest rewards!" the illusionist raised his glass while earning a laugh from his two friends.

"Cheers!" all three of them knocked their mugs together, and raised the bottoms up.


Stay tuned for the next chapter.