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A very short sequel to my story "The Naked Exorcist".
REVENGE IS SWEET
( * * * )
He was soft-spoken and well respected and generated a great deal of clout among his fellow exorcists. He was Allen Walker, the youngest member of the Black Order. But at present, he was in a life and death struggle with one of his comrades.
"Two cards," said Lavi.
"I'll take one," said Walker. "And bet ten."
"I see your bet and raise ten."
Lavi smirked. "There's no way for you to cheat, Allen. I may only have one eye, but often it's better than two."
"Perception can be deceptive... Straight flush," announced Allen.
Lavi's mouth dropped in shock. "How the hell did you get that?" He tossed his cards on the table. He had a full house. He thought he had finally beaten Allen.
Allen smiled. "Luck of the draw."
"My butt, luck of the draw!" Lavi protested. "You haven't lost a single hand. No one is that lucky."
"Time to antee up, Lavi. And you know what that means."
Lavi shook his head. "I can't, Allen. Once something is submitted to the Bookman archives, it can't be rescinded. Your photograph is in there to stay."
"Then you walk back to your room naked. Antee up, now."
"You can't be serious!"
"I warned you. No one beats me at cards. Or would you prefer an alternative?"
"What do you mean?"
And Allen explained what he was thinking. Lavi immediately refused.
"No way, never!"
"An eye for an eye, Lavi," said Allen.
"You're so cruel, Walker. I thought you were a nice guy?"
Lavi dressed, as Allen finished with the camera. "What are you going to do with the photograph?"
"What else, submit it."
Lavi smiled big. "You can't, only Bookmen can submit files and photos to the archive."
"I never said I was going to submit it there."
Lavi folded his brow confused.
The next day as walked through the corridors of the Black Order castle, Lavi was suddenly greeted with whistles and cat calls from several female exorcists and attendants. And surprisingly and creepily enough, one male exorcist, who winked at him.
When he entered the Dining Hall, the crowd seemed to stop amd stare at him. "Um, hi," he said nervously, putting a hand up.
Allen Walker sat at a table. Lavi joined him. He sat down and said, "What's going on? Everyone seems to be acting strange to me today."
"Maybe it's because of this." And Allen showed him the picture he took of Lavi with a yellow happy face sticker covering his nether region. Lavi gasped.
"You didn't!"
"It was actually Lenalee's idea. After she heard what you did, snapping that picture of me in the shower naked as a joke then sending it to the Bookman archives, she came up with this. I was at first against it, but she insisted."
"You told her?" Lavi said.
And Allen smirked.
"You're such a cold-hearted guy, Allen Walker."
"I play cards, I have to be. But I'm not that bad. Lenalee wanted the photograph undoctored, but I insisted on the sticker."
"You mean she saw…"
"Yup. She saw Mr. Happy Face."
Lavi's face flushed red with embarrassment, and Allen laughed.
END