A/N: Hello, I decided to make a DMC fanfic. Just a drabble, nothing much. You can blame my family for this because they love playing this one particular card game. Whenever my cousins come over, suddenly, BAM, cards are being tossed over, coffee or tea in hand and some ants clawing away at the floor. So yeah. Also, I feel kindda bad for Dante, so haha, a little surprise at the end of this fic.
Anyway, here I go *starts typing*
Miracles happen even in card games
Card games.
Something the half-devil isn't good at. Or rather has no luck in.
But still, he insists on playing cards every once in a while, preferably poker.
Which makes things worse for him because he's already in debt and he still owes Lady cash.
A whole lot of it.
Fuck.
Dante cursed his luck, as he sat there, in his office at Devil May Cry, legs propped up on his desk, seating in a lazy position. Man, how he hated it. Instead of drowning in cash like he's supposed to, he's drowning in debts and more.
The phone rang. He picked it up in his usual way, answering the call. After a while he put the phone back on it's stand, got up, grabbed Ebony and Ivory as well as his sword and red coat, and went off. He passed by Nero, who's on his way to another job, talking (read: teasing) him a little before heading off. Minutes after that, it started to rain.
Hours later, Dante came back in the shop, drenched as it was still raining outside, a dark scowl on his face. It was just minor collateral damage, nothing that bad! And he still didn't get his pay after getting the job done and saving someone's ass from becoming demon grub!
Fucking. Hell.
"Dammit...," he muttered, plopping down lazily into his seat, legs propped up in it's usual position.
"Didn't get your pay?" Nero asked. Dante nodded, before burying his head in a random magazine he picked up. Nero sighed. One thing Dante needs to correct, is how he does his job. Try not to do damage to your surroundings...
But enough about that. The door suddenly creaked open, and in came a man, short and doesn't look to be from around these parts, carrying a suitcase with him, the contents known only to the man himself.
"E-excuse me, is this Devil May Cry?" the person asked. Dante immediately identified him as one of his clients for the recent job.
"Yeah, why?"
"H-here's your pay," the man stuttered, stepping inside the office and placing the suitcase in front of Dante. Nero's mouth gaped open. Pay? Pay? Dante's actually going to get his pay? That suitcase looks big, maybe he can get some of that money for himself~
He then noticed Lady standing next to him. She must be thinking the same thing. She noticed Nero's face, mouth agape, and somehow she knows what he's thinking. They both then exchanged glares. Hey, Dante's not the only one short on money right now!
Dante then opened the suitcase. Inside...
Money.
Loads of 'em.
Smiling, Dante proceeded to thank the man, whilst pushing him out of the door, forgetting about the fact that, if this man didn't come, he wouldn't get his pay. He was just too happy right now. For a long time, has he swam in a sea of debts, and now, he has enough money to pay for all of them.
Before Dante closed the door, though, the man stopped him. "Would you mind if I tell you something?"
"Shoot," Dante replied, nonchalant.
"You like playing cards, right?"
"Yeah, why?"
"I know a card game that you might love," the man said. Oh hey, another card game besides poker? Heh, that sounds nice. A breath of fresh air, instead of playing poker all the time.
Dante nodded, letting the man continue. He proceeded to explain about the game. It's slightly easier than poker, but like all card games, it relies on luck and cunning.
The rules are: You have to make a deck of 3 cards, then another three, and finally four more cards. Each part of the deck has to be either the same number of different symbols, or the same symbols of different numbers. If you want to go for the latter though, it has to follow the card's order, which is 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, King, Queen, Ace.
So for example, in your deck you have 2, 3, 4 of hearts, then three more cards which consists of Ace of Spades, Hearts, and Diamonds, and the four final cards which consists of 6, 7, 8, 9 of spades. Jokers can act as a substitute, if you do get one; Black jokers only for replacing black cards, and red jokers for replacing both red and black cards.
As the man finished explaining things, Dante's smile grew a bit wider. Well, that sounds fun! It really is a breath of fresh air, and not really as difficult as poker.
The man then bid his goodbye and went into his car, driving back home. Dante then turned around, only to see Trish, Lady, Nero and Patty looking at him with eager eyes. They overheard, and now the want to play.
"Alright then, get the cards," Dante said, getting the suitcase.
...Only to have his hand swatted off by Lady.
"How about we use these as bids in the game, hmm?" Dante thought about her offer for a moment, before nodding.
"Alright, then, bring it."
The game then started. Nero handed 10 cards to everyone, except for Dante, who will make the first move. He gets eleven cards, so the cards stay even as the game goes.
After the cards have been passed out, everyone checked their cards. Lady smiled. One black joker. Trish stayed silent, calm and composed. Nero smiled. A red joker. Patty pouted, her cards aren't that good. She can only make part of the first part of the deck. And Dante...
He cursed his luck.
His cards SUCK. He can't make anything out of it. Nope, he can't even make one part of the deck.
"Alright Dante, your move," Lady said, smirking. Dante sighed, and threw a card. A Queen of Spades. Lady checked her card. Good, just what she needed. She smiled, silently thanking Dante (mockingly) for the card. She then rearranged her deck, pulling out and throwing a card. An Ace of Spades.
Now it was Nero's turn. Honestly, this is the first time he's played cards with these people, though he has experience. He looked at his deck. Then he turned to look at the card thrown for him. He grunted a little. A card he didn't need.
He left that card lying next to him, then turned to the deck of cards in the middle. He picked up the card on the top, then turned it. Tch. Another card he didn't need.
He threw the card to Trish. Trish smiled. 2 of Hearts. Just what she needed. She picked up her card, rearranging her deck, and threw a card Patty's way. She looked at it. Nope. Don't need that one. Patty then grabbed a card from the deck of cards in the middle. She smiled, then rearranged her deck, throwing a card back at Dante.
Again, he cursed his luck.
Nope, not a card that can make part of his deck.
He picked up a card from the deck in the middle.
Dammit.
He threw the card Lady's way, and so the game went on. Sure, all of you may think that this is boring, but it is quite challenging. Especially when money's at stake.
"Ha! One more move," Lady suddenly exclaimed. It's been nearly an hour, you'd think someone's already won by now. Lady however, is only one move away from making her deck.
Everyone else kept quiet. Dante, however, is sweating bullets for once. No, no, no, no, NO. He did NOT want to go back to swimming in that sea of debts of his.
He has to win this.
Trish then threw a card his way. Dante looked at it, then picked the card up.
Wait a second.
Was he seeing this right?
His cards. The deck...
It's nearly complete!
Why the hell did he not notice this before?!
Just one more card.
He then turned to look at the card thrown at him.
That...
That card is just what he needed.
An Ace of Hearts, staring at him, ready to be taken.
He quickly grabbed the card and reexamined his deck. His eyes then turned wide. He quickly rearranged his deck, then threw the one card he didn't need.
Backside up.
"With that, my friends," he said, as he got his deck ready. Everyone's eyes turned wide at the sight.
"I shall close this round."
Lady just stared at him, same as Nero, while Trish grunted inwardly. Lady threw her cards in front of her. Same with Nero and Trish, as well as Patty.
"Alright, how much do I owe you..?" asked Lady, getting ready to say goodbye to what's left of her money.
Everyone then started counting. Based on the cards they have, they have to hand out different amounts of money. Nero ended up giving Dante 20 dollars, while Lady and Trish gave what's left of the money they had. Patty gave Dante 10 dollars.
"Wait, I thought you decided to have the money there as the bids," Nero asked, pointing to the suitcase on Dante's desk.
"We decided not to in the last second," Dante answered,"that money'll be used to pay the debts I owe."
"Including the money you owe me," Lady added. Dante cursed under his breath.
"And mine to, remember?" Trish added. Again, Dante cursed under his breath. Patty sighed. Well, he got lucky.
Just this once.
Outside, a man is peeking at them through one of the windows. It was the client, who apparently lied about heading back home. He turned back and parked his car close to the building so he can watch them play.
And Dante won.
He was glad the game managed to change his luck a bit.
Heh, miracles do happen. Even in card games.
A/N: Guys, I swear to you, that was a drabble. Just... a really long one, hehe.
And oh wow, I finished this at school. The whole thing. So yeah, there, I made Dante win in a card game for once. Hope your happy, Dante!
Dante: Yeah, well, the second time I played that I got my ass kicked again.
Lady: Dante, where the hell is the money you owe me?!
Dante: Goddamit... *runs*
Oh, and if your curious, the game is called "Joker Karo". My family LOVES playing this game. A lot. Especially my dad's siblings.
Even I have to admit, I freaking LOVE playing this game. It's the only card game I know, and I don't think I'll be capable of playing poker anytime soon... *kicked*