Again I'm afraid this one wasn't recommended in reviews but I was talking about it during a game when the characters mentioned were in it. Hope you enjoy this one. Shout out to Ujani for the recommendation.
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"No no, it's a grand time I assure you." Soraka told the man walking beside her.
Shen didn't change his emotion at the reassurance but continued his measured stride.
"Akali will be joining us as well so I hear. Of course the members always change but the pot remains the same."
"Well see you there tonight. Nine thirty; bring something to drink."
In one of the larger rooms of the Institute the champions gathered. Generally large groups resulted in tension but this gathering was much more laid back. Rather than meeting to attempt to battle it out with weapons, the weapons were cards.
"Everyone here?" Twisted fate asked, the un spoken dealer of the night.
Murmers of assent went thought the gathered players.
"Well, you all know the stakes. Winner gets to set a goal on one loser, and they must do everything they can to make it happen. That being said, if I ever find out who recorded me singing along to Taylor swift; ah well never mind, but those are the stakes. As we all know any cheating that gets caught has it's own consequences, dependent on who catches you. Game name is 'Texas hold em."
The Card Master dealt out the cards after the ante.
Immediately Graves folded, followed by Fiora who gave a distasteful sniff as she always did when folding early. Shen called, tossing in two chips, along with Soraka. Miss fortune threw in four chips for a raise making Akali fold.
Ahri paused, tapping her finger while looking thoughtfully at the pot and her cards. After a few seconds delay and a swig from some green liquid in her bottle she tossed down her chips for a call.
Matching the calls everyone else stayed in. Twisted fate dealt out the next three cards, looking at the remaining players carefully. Poker faces were normally easy for him to read, but when two opponents were legitimate ninjas, one wasn't entirely human, one was called divine and the other a notorious gambler it made things a bit more challenging, and fun.
"Let's raise the pot a bit." Twisted chuckled tossing in twenty five.
Shen stayed in and so did Ahri but that was it.
One card and a round of boring checking the final card was out, each player scrutinizing the next.
Shen raised another twenty. The cardmaster looked at his eyes hoping for a tell but didn't see anything. Giving up he looked at Ahri as she called and grinned.
"Lay em out."
Twisted fate had a three of a king with aces, beating out the two pair of kings and queens Ahri had, she glared at him hatefully, whiskers twitching.
"A flush? Really Shen?" Twisted Fate shook his head.
The card game continued and after a few hands it looked like a trend was happening. Ahri was in last, despite being not entirely human she really couldn't bluff to save her life. Soraka was having a little more success but not much as she was slightly ahead of The Nine Tailed Fox. Akali was much better off but still trailing behind The Grand Duelist after a surprise straight flush. The real competition it seemed was between Twisted fate and Graves, with Miss fortune closely following them with Shen right behind her.
"Let us make zis a touch more fun yes?" Fiora said between hands, swirling a glass of wine.
"How do ya propose we do that darlin" Graves rumbled, cracking the top of a new bottle of beer.
"Well, how about for each of zee hands we fold on ze first deal, we take a shot?"
Shen laughed.
Silence as everyone except Akali turned to him in shock. It was the first sound he had made that night.
"You can laugh?" Miss fortune asked eyes wide in surprise.
"Of course I can laugh." Shen replied.
"Next you are going to be telling us you speak sentences with more than five syllables in them." Ahri laughed.
"You should see him when he's drunk. Then getting him to shut up is the trick." Akali said laughing. He face was slightly flushed from the blue mixture she was drinking.
"I'm game for that rule. I got some tequila here for just such an occasion." Graves said rising up and walking to a cupboard.
No one questioned why he had liquor stashed away in such a disused room, but most were glad he did.
"I dunno, I don't drink that much." Soraka muttered eyeing the bottle of liquid warily.
"Well just don't fold then. Lets go!" Miss fortune laughed.
The game went far more quickly and it soon the bots grew larger. Less people were willing to fold right off the bat.
"Shen, why don't you talk more huh? You are one funny fucking guy ha ha." Soraka said trying to keep her head up.
"I belive this is The Starchild when she is heavily intoxicated. This alone made the trip worth it." Shen said leaning back as the horn on Soraka's head dipped to eye level.
"She only had a few drinks. Some people are just light weights." Miss fortune said, tossing her two cards in and taking a swig from the bottle of tequila.
"Still cant believe you guys finished my other two bottles already." Graves said flicking in five chips to call.
"Ahri? Ahri, still awake?" Fiora asked poking the fox in the forehead.
"Let's say she's out." Akali laughed. He face was very flushed now and she was practically laying on Ahri, in what had started out as the two leaning shoulder to shoulder.
"For the record Fiora, best, idea, ever." Twisted fate said, dealing out the next three cards.
Time slipped by and Soraka joined Ahri in the ranks of the sleeping, her horn stabbing into the table when her head slammed down on to it. Akali and Ahri were piled together both sleeping quietly, although Ahri's tail would occasionally twitch.
"Ah blast it." Fiora cursed tossing her cards in and taking a shot of the alcohol.
"Shame we ain't playin another type of poker eh darling?" Graves laughed as he pulled the chips in. IT was only Miss fortune Twisted fate, Shen and himself were left in the running. Fiora picked up her bottle and leaned back in her chair, giving Graves a kick under the table as she did so.
Miss fortune was next to go, Shen calling her bluff.
"OH COME ON! How could you know I was bluffing? Even these two didn't catch it."
"Your left check muscle contracted."
"No it didn't"
"It was less than a millimeter."
"How could you see that from across the table?"
The Eye Of Twilight cocked an eyebrow and laughed.
Muttering darkly Miss fortune shuffled back and was joined by Fiora, as they began a whispered conversation, punctuated by laughter often.
"Let's end this right eh boys? All on one hand?"
Graves glared but nodded. His old hated of Twisted fate was not entirely forgotten but his love of card games was still stronger.
"Yes let's I must carry The Fist back to her bed. The Heart of the Tempest will find this story most amusing."
Dealing the card each player glared at the other.
"Flush." Twisted fate said grinning.
"Straight flush." Graves said reaching for the pot.
"Flush of the Royalty."
Both players stared at him.
"Is that not what it is called?"
"It's a Royal Flush." Graves said.
"My apologies. Royal flush then."
"Well you win. What do you want a loser to do." Graves muttered darkly staring at the cards.
"I believe I must task Fiora with something."
"Oh?" Fiora said looking up from her conversation with Miss Fortune.
"Yes, I believe you are capable enough, but I wish you to put dye in the shampoo Olaf uses for his beard. I find the notion of his beard being pink amusing, and wish to call him pinkbeard. Take pictures of this as well."
"My pleasure."
