Okay, Okay. I know what you readers are thinking. 'You said you would work on one story at a time!' but this is a prompt from a Senpai that not only is it too beautiful to just put on the back burner. Plus this way I get some of the rage I have built up due to all the fluff I had to write. I hope you all enjoy it, because I really enjoyed planning it thus far. (Please note; if he enjoyed writing it and is getting rage out, chances are there won't be a happy ending. –A)
Chapter 1: The Last Heist
If you looked up 'Scam' in a dictionary, the first one that comes up is the noun, 'A stratagem for a gain.' That was all it was to the notorious sister duo. Nothing more than a game. A game the both of them have become masters at.
Over the years the strategies have changed but the game never has. It has been the exact same thing long before their parents were even a glint in their grandparents' eyes. Play off of the cardinal emotions of people, to gain anything they desire.
In the past they simply wanted to survive, get enough money for food or even shelter for a night. In recent years, they began to garner a reputation they both were proud of. Never caught, and no one knew who they really were, hell, the police believed they have gotten the duo on several occasions.
The only problem with it was, they never found anything to quench their desires. Nothing to end the lust for what wasn't theirs, but could so easily be.
But they didn't start their scams out of greed. It was out of survival. They grew up in a bad neighbourhood. When the youngest was three their, dad got shot because he happened to be in the wrong area at the wrong time.
Their mom started to work not one, not two, but three jobs just to scrape by. She even kept the fact she had cancer, in its final stage, to herself. And it wasn't long before they lost her too.
They got placed into a foster home that was somehow worse. It took the sister duo a whole year to plot their escape. They took nothing but the clothes on their back and a hundred dollars they stole from their foster parents.
The money didn't last long, and the single weapon that has felled armies so easily in the past began to creep up. The hunger they felt in those scant days was unimaginable. The idea of a hundred dollars seems like a lot to an eight year old and a six year old, but reality decided to teach them otherwise early.
And that was when a kind man taught them everything they knew about the game. They both would never forget the man that saved them. Roman Torchwick. A month under his tutelage they learned enough to pull their first part of the game.
They played off of everyone's nature of hating to see children in need. The duo, under Roman's advice put on a ripped set of clothes and even dirtied themselves up. They went out in the morning and the duo began to wander the city looking lost and the youngest clinging to the eldest.
Five hours later, the both had a full stomach and a few hundred dollars. When they returned to their new saviour he took the money and bought them some new clothes and some food and sent them on their way. With his emergency number in case something goes haywire. He couldn't teach them anything more.
The next morning, they left slightly disheartened, but knew it was for the best.
Fourteen years later, they became well known, whispers passed around elite class, and more often than not, synonymous with their mentor. Their names traded with venom at how easily they could out smart so many people and for such high amounts. Never the same method twice in the same town.
The only thing everyone seemed to know was that the duo consisted of a tall Blonde woman. Who everyone knew as the brawn. And a small red haired woman who was not only the brain, but more often than not appeared as the face. They called each other many things during their turn at the game but the ones that always stuck out the most were two. Yang, and Ruby.
"Step right up, can you follow the lady? She is being escorted by two men." Yang spoke loudly as the crowd began to gather around her. On the table sat nothing more than three cards. The decorative backings on them seemed new. A pristine black with red and yellow decorative line art.
"What is this? Three Card Monte? Because I hope you know that is highly illegal." A tall, well-spoken officer stated as he stepped up to Yang
"Three Card Monte? Never heard of it Sir. But if it is one of those awful scams, getting in the way of a simple training magician, trying to fulfil her dead little sister's wishes, I assure you it is not." Yang started, a tear streaming down the side of her face. She wiped it away. "But if you want to throw me in jail for just doing that with a fair trick, I'm sorry. But it is your job." Yang continued holding her wrists up, pushed together.
Presenting herself for the officer. "Let's see the trick first. If I believe this is a scam I will arrest you." He spoke as Yang's mood picked up. Through her sniffling she nodded. She quickly began mixing the cards on the table around.
"Now, Sir, where is the lady?" Yang asked, letting some sadness seep through her voice. The man in blue pointed to the card in the middle.
"Sir, it is rude to take two ladies with you." Yang said gesturing to the man's belt, as she flipped it over the queen of diamonds. The man reached into the place Yang had mimed and he pulled out a duplicate. Even down to the unique backing. The man smiled as Yang held up a small, rusted beaten coffee tin.
Yang took a bow as he placed a five dollar note into the tin. "Thank you Sir. One of these days you'll hear about the famous magician Ember Celica!" Yang shouted as the crowd began to clap begging for an encore. "Okay, you guys want another trick? How about an easy one. I'll be able to find a card of a pretty lady, out of the entire deck, in thirty seconds." Yang proclaimed loudly.
She quickly took up the three cards with the rest and fanned the entire deck out. 'Ace of spades is the key. Now all I need is Rubes to finish her part.' Yang thought as she spun the deck around and offered it to the nearest person.
A woman, tall, red head. A dark tan. "Now Ma'am, I'm sure if you know anything about card tricks you would assume this is a key card trick. And whilst I can do those, there is no magic behind them. I'm here by the power of the cards." Yang said as she broke the deck into three sections and began to shuffle the deck. As she placed two of the thirds onto each other she spun the last third, having it land perfectly on top.
"Say when." Yang said as she began to riffle the deck.
"When." The red head said, as Yang stopped, breaking the deck at the mark and presented the top section to her.
"I detect a distinct accent. I'm guessing you're Greek?" Yang asked as the woman placed the card on top and Yang dropped the last section on top. "That is a good ear, yes. I'm a transfer student not far from here." She spoke as Yang smiled.
"Well, I would love to hear more about you. But, I have a trick I need to preform right now." Yang stated, flipping the deck back around as and fanned the deck again. Yang quickly began to look through the deck. 'Oh, Ace of Spades did you take a king with you?' Yang thought as she looked back over a few times.
Yang quickly pushed the card forward. "That is your card. Isn't it?" Yang asked, letting a coy smile grace her lips as the woman began to clap and say a definitive 'Yes'. Yang smiled as she bowed once more as she looked over to see Ruby nodding.
"I'm sorry ladies and gentlemen. But I have a bus I need to catch. My mentor isn't one to like tardiness." Yang said as she passed the coffee tin around. They all placed some money in and it returned back to her. Yang grabbed her cards, her bag and the small pop up table.
Yang began to walk towards the direction the small red head ran off in.
After a few blocks Yang turned the corner and saw Ruby smiling. "That was a nice dodge with the cop. My only problem is why do I always have to be dead? Or laying in a hospital bed paralysed, from an alcoholic father?" Ruby asked as Yang dropped the table on the ground.
"Because, I've found Roman's lesson on cops won't continue questioning further if there is a sad story to be fully true. But did you do your part? That fake security guard outfit is starting to make me want to kill you." Yang stated as Ruby laughed holding up a wooden box.
"Of course I did. But you did put on a nice show. And if I don't get this off I'll help you with killing me." Ruby stated as the opened the box and began count the money. It didn't take them long to come up with the total.
"Eighteen grand. Plus that chump change you got, from them, which makes up our drinking fund tonight." Ruby calmly stated, as she relaxed against the building, getting ready to rip off the outfit she had on. Even though the badge she was wearing was fake she still felt terrible for even pretending to be a cop.
"Why did you call it off early if that is all we got? That isn't like you." Yang asked as she began to rest her head against the side of the building. "More importantly, whilst I did make chump change doing those fake acts as a distraction, it still amounted up to five hundred." Yang stated defending her part in the scheme.
"Because you know the rule. Only three hours in front of a bank. Besides I still feel so dirty wearing this. Next time you're going to be the security guard and I'll do the distraction." Ruby said standing up offering her sister her hand which was graciously taken. "Come on I'm hungry and we need to plan one more hit for the city before we move on. We've already been here too long." Ruby stated as her and Yang began to walk out of the alleyway in the opposite direction they entered.
It wasn't long before they made it to their hotel room. It wasn't anything fancy. It had two double beds, a small television, a bathroom fully equipped and what the duo knew now the most important feature, it had a roof and four walls to keep the terrible night air out.
"Right while you figure out our mark, I'm getting changed. Possible going to burn it." Ruby joked as Yang lay down in her bed and stared at the celling. 'How, the fuck am I meant to tell her?'
Ruby came back into the room and glared at her sister. She tossed the shirt she had been wearing at her. "Come on Yang. You know I don't like hitting a town too much. One more and we can be on the road again." Ruby spoke softly, as she walked over to her bed and pulled out a small, red notebook. Closer to a diary, but all the letters except 'ry' she intentionally removed from the cover.
Because Yang was always that one constant that she had. While she had fond memories of Roman's lessons, once they pulled their first scam he sent them on their merry way.
"Ruby, there is only one big shot in this county let alone town. The Adel family fashion star Coco. Has big wallets and a fondness to card games. I already got in good with Coco's fiancée. A Rabbit Faunus named Velvet Scarlatina. So, whenever you are ready with a play we can act." Yang started as she sat up.
"But Ruby, aren't you tired of all this drifting from town to town? I mean come on your twenty. Don't you want to settle down?" Yang asked as she could see Ruby closed her notebook.
"Yang... what are you saying? Are you breaking up our successful partnership?" Ruby asked tears beginning to well up in her eyes. Not the fake ones she has used so many times, but genuine ones. Ones that Yang knew well enough.
"Rubes. I'm twenty two. I've lived on the run with you for over fourteen years. We have done every con from 'A Pig In A Poke' to 'Fast and Loose' to even a 'Ponzi Scheme.' Which don't get me wrong, was very impressive. But I don't want to continue doing this. If you want to actually talk about it, I'll be down the road in the bar." Yang said walking out letting Ruby continue to cry.
She knew it was going to be most bitter medicine Ruby had to ever swallow, but she needed it. They both did. This was not the life Yang ever wanted for Ruby, but she had to admit Ruby was easily as skilled if not better than the man that taught the both of them the trade. It was already too late for them to be considered 'innocent', but Yang didn't want her baby sister, the last bit of family Yang had left to be thrown in jail from scamming the wrong person.
Yang walked into the bar as the bar tender she became all too familiar with in the past month glared at her. "I don't aim to cause trouble again Junior. Stop glaring at me like that. I was even nice enough to pay for the damages. All I want right now is something stupidly strong." Yang's voice laced with venom, not at the bartender but rather herself. She wasn't sure if Junior picked up on it but she didn't care.
"You and your sister get into a fight or something? Because it just looks like you want to curl up and die right now." He said as he poured her a shot of something, Yang didn't even bother to see what it was. She grabbed the glass and drank it in one gulp.
She felt the liquid burn as it cascaded down her throat, it sadly wasn't as strong as she had hoped. She placed the glass back down slightly rougher than she may have intended and gestured for him to refill it. "Yeah, we may not fight often but when we do it is generally big. Last time we fought was because I slept with her girlfriend. But the really big part about the fight back then, was it wasn't only her girlfriend but a girl she had a crush on as well." Yang started as she gulped down the new shot and placed it in front of Junior again.
"God, why was everything so simple when your seventeen? Not quite old enough for any minor charges to stick long, can sleep around with whoever you want. Now look at me, five years later and my sister already wants us to move on. Like it is so easy to do." Yang said as she drank the newest shot.
"I don't get it, how can a con artist, who moves from town to town every other month have a girlfriend?" Junior asked, he only knew about the girls because he was an old friend of Roman that they knew of. He didn't care what anyone did for a living, as long as they paid their bills.
"One, Confidence Artist. Don't shorten it, I'm sure Roman has told you that. Two, it is because of that incident, that she doesn't want to get attached to anyone." Yang said just staring at her glass' content. It was the first time she actually took a look at it. It was an amber coloured liquid, if Yang had to make an educated guess she would say whisky, it burned just like cheap but strong whisky. "But, after our next game we plan to leave town. And I'm ready to tap out. Short of us becoming politicians we have done every scam you can name." Yang said as they both began to laugh at the small joke Yang just made.
"If you ever become one of those suit wearing sleaze balls I'll have to deny ever knowing you." Junior said as Yang drank her knew shot.
"If I ever become one, I'll probably off myself. At least the people I know have some respect. And only aim to screw over a small number of people so they can get by. Those bastards aim to fuck us all." Yang said as she gestured for Junior to stop filling the glass. "Hell, Roman and Rubes would join you in denying I ever existed." Yang joked as Junior moved further down the bar to tend to a different patron.
Yang wasn't sure how long she had been but it wasn't long before Ruby took the seat next to her. "So, you willing to tap out as well?" Yang asked knowing the answer already. She doubted Ruby would ever give it up.
"No. I can't convince you to stay can I?" Ruby futile attempt at a plea with Yang. Just fell onto deaf ears. "No, you can't." Yang stated staring straight ahead.
"Okay, so one last play and we go our separate ways. But we need to play big. You will need a lot to get fake qualifications so you can go onto the straight and narrow. Plus I'll need some to get a set of wheels so I can actually go somewhere outside of cities. After some quick math, even with what we have saved up we still are short about one hundred large." Ruby stated signalling for two more of what Yang was drinking.
"How much do you think you can get her to play for?" Ruby asked taking the shot and quickly downing Yang's as well.
"Easily that. From what Velvet has told me, she plays high stakes three card poker. You being the dealer, we can get that in a dozen or so hands. When do you want to pull this?" Yang asked as she turned to stare at Ruby.
"Tomorrow night. Tell her cash only. Once we are done, we are leaving. Tomorrow, I'll get my set of wheels and at least a high school diploma for you." Ruby said standing up offering Yang her hand. Yang took the hand and stood up. "Right, let's get some sleep first." Yang said as she pulled Ruby into a one armed hug.
"Yang, I'm twenty, not six! Stop doing that!" Ruby yelled letting a light dusting of pink grace her cheeks out of embarrassment.
"Yes but you are still my baby sister. Now pay Junior, I left my money back in the room." Yang smirked as Ruby smirked back. She placed a fifty dollar note on the counter and smiled at the man.
"Bye Junior, this may be the last time for a while. Keep the change, I know Yang wouldn't drink much." Ruby said as Junior just waved them off. Smiling like they were his own children. "Bye Red, Blondie. Have fun on your travels. I'll let Torchwick know you two are alright. He still worries about the two orphans he helped." Junior stated as they walked out, and back into their room.
The next night couldn't come fast enough for Yang. She had actually grown fond of Velvet and by extension Coco. She loathed what was going to be done but it was a matter of survival. What Coco was about to lose would be nothing she couldn't make back easily. And that money would give Yang and Ruby a nice bit to continue living off of for at least a few months.
Ruby did pull through, or at least, Junior knew a guy who would help Yang. He got Yang all the documentation she needed to go onto the straight and narrow. Ruby managed to get herself a pretty basic car. It was a simple blue Toyota. From around the same year as she was born. She got it for only two hundred and fifty.
Right before they were going to meet Velvet and Coco, to play the fated game Ruby packed everything she could into the back of her new car. And divided the money they had left over up between them. It wasn't nearly enough for either to live for a while. At most three months. And Yang knew where Ruby was getting her math from. They had no idea how long Yang would be without a job. It may be a month, it may be closer to a year.
Fifty thousand dollars would be more than enough for Yang to survive off for about fifteen months. Yang was positive she could find a job in that time. She trusted Ruby's math, it never steered her wrong in the past. It was probably even the worst case scenario.
Ruby gestured Yang, Velvet and Coco over to a table she had set up, in the back of Junior's bar where both Yang and Ruby didn't know he had a pop up casino. The trio walked over and took a seat because it was the only open table. Another thing they were happy because Junior set it up for them.
"Sooo what game you play here?" Coco asked as she took a seat next to Yang.
"Well because this casino is less than legal, it is cash only. At my table specifically is three card poker. The buy in is five hundred dollars." Ruby stated rehearsed from years of pulling the exact same scam from a few years back.
"Low price. I'm game. Yang?" Coco asked turning to the blonde who just smiled and took out a wad of cash. "I'm in. I don't know how to play properly, between my dad's drunken beatings and my mom's death I never learned how to play things like poker." Yang said placing a few bills on the table.
Ruby took the money and moved it back towards her. "The opening Ante is two hundred and three hundred." Ruby said point to each person who passed the money over. Ruby quickly dealt the cards.
Yang looked at what she had and smiled. It was nothing. Coco was guaranteed a victory if she had anything.
"Okay Yang, so here is how it goes. We take turns going around, starting at the left of the dealer. That being you, can decided one of three things. To pass meaning the pot stays at the ante, fold meaning you're out for the round, or raise. You can raise anything and the next person has to match it. In a normal game of poker there is a few rounds of this, but in three card there is only one." Coco stated as she placed her cards back on the table.
"Okay, I raise a hundred." Yang said placing a few more bills on the table, Coco smirked and placed a singular note on the table. "This is a call. Once someone raises you can no longer pass, you call the amount, you can still raise and fold though." Coco continued as Ruby flipped the cards.
"Winner to the brunette. She has a pair." Ruby stated as she pushed the money from the pot to Coco. "You got nothing Yang. But you'll soon learn how to win a game." Coco stated as Ruby patiently waited for her to finish.
"Ante is up by a hundred, and dealer chip moves to the Blonde woman." Ruby stated as the Ante got paid and Yang got the small white chip.
"Okay after each round in these underground rings, the Ante increases after each round, and normally the dealer chip moves but the woman there still deals, that way everyone gets the chance to make the first call. This time it is entirely up to me if the pot increases." Coco stated as the both of them look at their cards.
'Okay, Ruby gave me a pair. This is nice. Slightly harder to beat but it works.' Yang thought as Coco placed a few notes on the table. "I raise five hundred." Coco stated as Ruby flipped the cards over. "Blonde woman wins. She has a pair." Ruby stated pushing the money over.
"Ante up a hundred, dealer chip moves one place to the brunette." Ruby stated shuffling the deck. She passed the cards out as the ante got paid while Coco explained what Yang had to do.
Yang looked at her cards and smiled slightly. The corners of her mouth barely moved. 'Nothing again nice. Let's build up her confidence.' Yang thought. "I raise five hundred." Yang stated as Ruby flipped the cards. 'Coco has a straight flush. Nice time to build confidence.' Yang thought as Ruby did her bit declaring the winner saying how it won and passed the money over to Coco.
Five more hands played with Coco constantly winning. Sometimes just barely, sometimes Yang got nothing. That was when Ruby began to shift the game. It was no longer constant victories for Coco. Yang came out on top every few hands. Enough to stay in the game as the ante slowly approached closer to five thousand.
"Coco, it is getting late and I still have like a hundred grand total. Why not just do that in one more hand?" Yang asked as Coco smirked. She dropped the exact amount Yang claimed to had. Yang placed the rest of the wad she had on the table as Ruby dealt the next hand.
'And like that we just made out with a hundred large.' Yang thought as Ruby turned the cards over.
"The Blonde woman wins. Three of a kind." Ruby declared as Coco groaned at the loss of her money. "Well Yang, your luck turned around. I don't suggest keeping that hidden, the IRS don't appreciate that. Just file it under gambling winnings. I know a guy that will make it seem legit." Coco stated as Yang began to shove the money into a wad and placed it in her pockets.
"Okay, time to go. I'll talk to you tomorrow, about it." Yang said faking a yawn as she began to walk towards the hotel, she knew Ruby was already going to be at. Once they planned the final heist for a town, they left almost immediately. It has been done so long it is practically hard coded into them.
As Yang walked up to the building she could see Ruby leaning on the side of Yang motorcycle, a cigarette in her lips as she waited for Yang to arrive. "I hate how you have picked that up Rubes. You need to stop that." Yang scolded Ruby who rolled her eyes, tossing Yang her riding jacket. A thick brown leather jacket.
"Yeah and I wish my sister would stick with me as we continue playing the game across the world. We can't have everything we want." Ruby stated flicking what was left away. Yang slipped her jacket on and handed Ruby a wad of cash.
"Keep my number. If you need anything Rubes just call. We may be going on different paths but you are still my baby sis." Yang said as she hugged Ruby, tightly, like every second she held onto her was a second she could convince her to go with her. She knew it was futile. Ruby was just as stubborn as she was.
"Don't worry you big dork. I will, but no one has caught us yet, I doubt anyone will. But the same kindness is being extended to you." was Ruby's muffled response as she began to tear up. Hugging Yang deeper. Like every second that she holding onto Yang was a second longer that she could convince Yang to go with her. Knowing full well how futile that is was.
But with every good thing, it has to have an end. As they broke apart, it was clear they both had been crying. Yang rubbed her eyes as she placed her helmet on with the visor up. "Drive safe Rubbles. I don't want to have to identify your corpse. Ever." Yang said as Ruby pulled the visor down.
"The same goes for you, Yang." Ruby stated as Yang zipped Ruby's jacket up.
Leaving the town after that one move was the hardest. It was no longer the sister duo. It was now Yang Xiao Long, a simple woman trying to go onto the straight and narrow. And Ruby.
Author's Note:
Okay so two days of writing produced this. I already love this story but I'm curious as to what you guys think. The Senpai that gave me this prompt? None other than the ever amazing doomzoom. The amazing author that has given us one of the greatest Ladybug stories, 'The Promise.'
If you don't check the story out we will have an issue that will only be resolved once one of us are dead, and I don't plan on dying any time soon.
Editor's Note:
He may not be planning on dying, but plans have a habit of going astray no?
