Reviews are always appreciated! I know we all have different styles and ideas, and I think that's good. Let me know if you enjoy it! ~Hunger (Since one reviewer asked, Minion wouldn't take less than 50%. lol He's not a push-over!)
The knock at the door was promptly answered.
"All riiight! Come in! Come in!" Music Man smiled and stood aside, letting his guests into the light and warmth of his plush subterranean dwelling. "I was just re-watching the coverage of the museum opening." He chuckled. "I love those clips. Nice footwork, you two! Now, who brought me beer?"
"Here you go," Roxanne answered, handing him a six-pack for being the host for the night's poker game. None of the rest of them drank, so that should be plenty for him this evening. She knew better than to get him a case, even though he could drink it all himself. Not that he'd get drunk, but it affected him in other, more nefarious ways. Who knew super heroes could even get gas?
Megamind clenched his jaw and glared at the city's former hero, who'd just won a hand. "That's it. I'm not playing with him. He's cheating again!"
"Oh, prove it, you whiner."
"The rules are, no x-ray vision allowed!" Megamind shouted, pointing a long finger at the man across the table from him, who pretended to be shocked.
"Well, I never!" Sitting more upright in his chair, he puffed out his chest. "I stand for justice and…"
Megamind scoffed, "Yes, yes, we know! And yet, you always cheat anyway. Well, not this time!" He reached behind him and brought out a deck of shiny black cards. "Just to be sure, we'll use MY cards."
"Those aren't going to explode if he x-rays them, are they?" Roxanne questioned with a slightly worried look on her face.
He scowled at her. "Of course not." Suddenly on the back of the deck's top card, a ghostly white word appeared. It read, "BUSTED!". Megamind looked triumphantly at his rival. "Got you!"
"Nuts." The ex-hero scowled at the ray detecting deck. "Fine – then you can't count cards!"
"Wha-? How can I not count cards?" Eyes wide, he waved a hand at Roxanne. "That's like telling Roxanne she isn't allowed to be beautiful! It just happens! Look at this brain. You can't stop genius!"
"Well then I'm not playing!"
Roxanne closed her eyes, "BOYS!" They both looked at her. "This is supposed to be fun! Ok. You, no x-ray vision. And you, try to not count cards." Megamind smirked at her. She took the new deck from him and dealt them. Silence reigned as each of them studied his own hand. When she picked up her cards, she noticed the queen had her face in the place of the usual monarch. She inclined her head to one side and asked her boyfriend, "Your custom deck, huh? And who's the king?"
Raising his eyebrows, he leered at her. Minion giggled behind his cards. Music Man guffawed as he noticed Minion on the jack. "Hey, where's my face?" he demanded.
"You're the joker," Megamind informed him.
The next round was won by the new hero, who looked very smug as he pulled in the chips.
"He has to have a handicap of some kind!" Music Man groused as the cards were dealt again. "You guys can tell I didn't look, but how are we supposed to know he's not counting?"
"Just have Roxanne sit on his lap," Minion suggested absentmindedly, studying his next hand. "Usually he's so distracted, he..."
"MINION!" Roxanne blushed.
Megamind laughed out loud. "Sounds good to me! Come here…" Roxanne slapped his hand away.
Metro Man snorted and started giggling to himself.
"Shut up and play!" Roxanne growled at them.
Megamind suddenly pointed at one of Minion's cards, which had just changed from black to the telltale sign - 'BUSTED!'. "Got you again!"
Music Man palmed his face. "That was an accident! Force of habit. Oh, dang it," he said, realizing what he'd just admitted.
Roxanne shook her head and rolled her eyes. Megamind gave a small evil laugh at scoring one on his old rival. Minion looked with mild surprise at the back of his cards, noting only one had been seen. He shrugged, "I'm good. Keep playing."
Roxanne won the next hand. Megamind blew her a kiss. "Beautiful and brilliant!" She winked and smiled at him, making him chuckle contentedly.
"You two are going to make me throw up," Music Man groaned.
"Jealous, fly boy?" Megamind muttered.
"Hey! Spare a thought for me! You don't have to live with them," Minion complained. "Always sneaking off when we're working in the lab, "training" in the gym…"
"Just remember who cleans your bowl, fishy," threatened Megamind.
Roxanne won the next round too.
"Maybe she needs a handicap," her beau commented thoughtfully.
Roxanne smirked, "You boys didn't think I'm just a pretty face, did you?"
The next hand went to Megamind. Music Man looked around swiftly and said, "I'll be right back." He zipped outside and returned to his seat in a couple seconds. They all looked at him, waiting for an explanation. "Just checking." Blank looks greeted his statement. "You know, for brainbots."
Megamind scoffed, "Oh please! As if I need brainbots spying on your cards to help me win this simple game!"
Minion won again, and then Roxanne ended the game early for the night. Everyone had gone all-in on the last round, and she'd taken every last chip with a smile on her face. Music Man looked surprised and Megamind thoughtful. "Hmm, my sweet Roxanne wouldn't be putting one over on us, would she?"
She gave him her best 'Who, me?' face. "Well, what next? The night's still young," she asked pleasantly.
"Would you like to hear my latest song?" Before the other three could shout 'no' in unison, Music Man zipped off to grab a guitar.
"Hey!" Minion whispered to the couple who had moved over to sit resignedly on the couch. "Start smooching, you two – maybe that'll put him off." Although Megamind happily puckered up right away at the suggestion, Roxanne raised her hand to ward him off.
"How about another game? We haven't played 'War' in awhile."
Minion gaped at her. "Ms Ritchie! You know what happened last time!" The hero and ex-hero had gotten a little too excited during the classic card game and had decided it would be more interesting to take it outside to all out war in real time. It was after that they agreed no weapons, giant robots, or full strength physical contact was allowed at poker night.
"If we're going to play 'War', I'm going back to get the Megabot!" Megamind started to get up from the couch.
"Never mind!" Roxanne said hastily, grabbing his arm and pulling him back down. Music Man was warming up his fingers at the guitar. They needed to think fast.
The holowatch beeping startled them all. "Uhoh, duty calls." The hero glanced meaningfully at his sidekick. "Minion?"
"I'll go warm up the car," Minion quickly responded. "Thanks for the fun!" he called to Music Man and quickly left.
Music Man looked up from his strumming and frowned. "Aw! You're leaving already? Roxie! You can stay, right?"
Her pager went off, and she checked the display. "Hmmm, must be the same thing you're getting called to," she looked at Megamind, who shrugged and offered her a hand to rise from the couch. "Sorry, Wayne! We'll see you next time!"
"Be careful out there!" He called after them as they walked out and closed the door. Guitar music began playing raucously from inside.
"Saved by the bell," she commented, as they made their way outside under the stars to the invisible car. "You wouldn't happen to know why it was Minion that called my pager, would you?"
Megamind chuckled and put an arm around her. "I'll tell you about that if you'll tell me what his cut of the pot is."
She stopped and smiled at him, putting her arms around her favorite blue guy. "Nothing gets past you, does it?" His reply was lost in a long kiss. "Take me home. We'll have our own game night."
He couldn't pass that up, even if she did cheat.