Disclaimer: NO, I don't own Evangelion, or Gainax. I wish I did, though.
Author's Notes: I set the story in Misato's apartment between several scattered episodes of Evangelion, so don't be surprised if it jumps from one scene to another. I'm revolving the story around a monthly poker/blackjack/go fish night at the Katsuragi residence. Several fanfics I've read had a scene or two where Pen-Pen and someone else would be playing some card game. I just wanted to see what would happen if an entire story was revolved around a monthly game night.
Other Notes: This story is on a Word document, and I don't have a clue on how to fix the spacing once I upload, so don't ask.
**************************************
A Simple Game of Cards: Chapter One: the First Night
By FinalMax
A Richter Scale Production
**************************************
Three Weeks P.S. (Pre-Shinji): Monday morning in rush hour traffic
Misato's Perspective:
"Hey, Ritsu, I'm bored," I said over the phone. "Wanna come over and play cards with me and Pen-Pen?" I was really hoping she'd say "yes," because I was tired of playing computer Solitaire.
"Sure Misato," Ritsuko said. "I'll be there at 8:00, ok?"
"That'll be fine Ritsuko. Don't forget: it's BYOB."
"BYOB? What does that mean this time?"
"Bring your own booze, of course."
"Of course," Ritsuko said sarcastically. "Anything else you want me to bring?"
"Yeah, could you get some pretzels, chips, dips, and ice please?" I added.
"Sounds more like you're having a party. Can I bring anyone with me?"
"Sure, as long as it's not the commander, you can bring anyone you want."
"Good. Well, I'll see you at 8:00. Goodbye, Misato."
"Bye, Ritsuko. See you then."
"Good, now that that's settled. Pen-Pen, come over here." Now where did that penguin go to now?
The poor warm water penguin stared at his beer-and-shelter provider with a strange look on his face. "Waarrk?" (Translation: Did you say . . . cards?)
That evening, around 8:00 at Misato's apartment
"Hi, Ritsuko, I'm glad you're here. I need you to look at Pen-Pen for me. He's wearing a visor, smoking a cigar, and shuffling like crazy." I said at the first person at the door.
"Well, is he at least smoking Havana?" said the voice at the door.
"Huh, who's at the door?"
"I'm hurt, Captain Katsuragi, that you'd forget me, Shigeru."
"Call me Misato when we're not at work. Why are you here, Shigeru?"
"I was invited to come here for cards and a few drinks. Now, if you'll excuse me . . . Hey, Pen-Pen! Pass me a cigar, would ya, buddy?"
"Warrkk." (Translation: Sure, but don't expect me to go easy on you.)
"So," I said, "you're the person Ritsuko invited, huh?"
"Ritsuko? Hyuga told me about it." Shigeru said.
"So, Ritsuko invited Hyuga, and he told you about it, right?" I asked.
"No, Maya told him, and he told me," he explained.
"Why?"
"Don't ask me; I'm not a mind reader. I just brought the scotch," he said as he headed for the cigar waiting for him.
When Hyuga arrived later, he confirmed what Shigeru said. He didn't know who told Maya, so I'd have to ask her when she arrived.
The apartment, 8:30
"Hi, everybody! I brought the pretzels and dip." Maya said in a very cheerful voice.
"Maya? Did Ritsuko invite you over?" I asked her.
"Why, yes, she did. She also said I could invite a friend or two, so I asked Hyuga."
As Maya sat down next to Pen-Pen, I heard a doorbell ring. I didn't even know that doorbell worked. Well, I'd better answer it. It might be Ritsuko.
"Well, well. I've never known you to be late for anything, Ritsuko. So, tell me, who was it?" I teased.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Misato. I just had a difficult time climbing the stairs with three bags of potato chips and four bags of ice," said a rather defensive Dr. Ritsuko Akagi.
"Why didn't you just use the elevator, like the rest of us did?" Makoto asked.
"You mean that deathtrap actually works?"
"Yes, in fact, it runs better than the ones we have at work." Hyuga chimed.
"Well I'll be damned. How'd that happen?" Ritsuko asked.
"It helps that it wasn't slapped together like NERV HQ," I replied.
"That explains a lot, actually."
"That's enough small talk, Ritsuko. Let's play poker." I said. I had barely noticed the glimmer in Pen-Pen's eyes when I mentioned poker. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on who you were that evening, the others didn't notice it. They were too busy filling the snack bowls and their drinks.
Then we headed for the poker table Pen-Pen mysteriously pulled from out of nowhere. I sat across from my feathery roommate, with Ritsuko and Hyuga on my left and Shigeru and Maya on my right. As Pen-Pen shuffled, we were preparing for the worst. The worst, naturally, was Maya asking how to play. Fortunately, she was a quick study.
Then Pen-Pen said as he dealt the cards, "Wwaarrrk!" (Translation: "Alright, it's five card stud, deuces and jokers are wild. Ante is five yen.") Of course, none of us knew what he was saying. He noticed this and proceeded to write it down. We didn't know he could hold a pencil in his beak and write with it. After we read the note, and after Pen-Pen finished dealing the cards, we began our first game.
We quickly discovered that Pen-Pen was a master at the game, as he won the first two hands, or flippers in his case. We decided that someone else should deal the cards. The decision was reached due to the fact that he had to write a note every time he called the game. After that, we had to decide who would deal. Ultimately, I ended up being the dealer.
The rest of the night went well, everyone won at least one game. Maya surprised us all when she won four hands in a row. However, that couldn't stop Pen-Pen and myself from winning most of their money. The night ended when we ran out of snacks and booze.
Pen-Pen and I thanked our guests for a good time as they started their journey home. I was about to close the door and go to bed, when I heard everyone say, "We'll come back next month, so be prepared."
"What do you guys mean?"
Ritsuko responded, "We had fun, so we'll be back again. Besides, we have to win our money back from you and your penguin." Then they left.
"What have I started?"
**************************************
To Be Continued
###########
Next chapter: Shinji begins living with Misato, makes snacks for the poker night, and learns the game. How well will he do? Will Ritsuko and the bridge bunnies get their money back? What will Pen-Pen do with his share of the money? Find out next time!
Author's Notes: I set the story in Misato's apartment between several scattered episodes of Evangelion, so don't be surprised if it jumps from one scene to another. I'm revolving the story around a monthly poker/blackjack/go fish night at the Katsuragi residence. Several fanfics I've read had a scene or two where Pen-Pen and someone else would be playing some card game. I just wanted to see what would happen if an entire story was revolved around a monthly game night.
Other Notes: This story is on a Word document, and I don't have a clue on how to fix the spacing once I upload, so don't ask.
**************************************
A Simple Game of Cards: Chapter One: the First Night
By FinalMax
A Richter Scale Production
**************************************
Three Weeks P.S. (Pre-Shinji): Monday morning in rush hour traffic
Misato's Perspective:
"Hey, Ritsu, I'm bored," I said over the phone. "Wanna come over and play cards with me and Pen-Pen?" I was really hoping she'd say "yes," because I was tired of playing computer Solitaire.
"Sure Misato," Ritsuko said. "I'll be there at 8:00, ok?"
"That'll be fine Ritsuko. Don't forget: it's BYOB."
"BYOB? What does that mean this time?"
"Bring your own booze, of course."
"Of course," Ritsuko said sarcastically. "Anything else you want me to bring?"
"Yeah, could you get some pretzels, chips, dips, and ice please?" I added.
"Sounds more like you're having a party. Can I bring anyone with me?"
"Sure, as long as it's not the commander, you can bring anyone you want."
"Good. Well, I'll see you at 8:00. Goodbye, Misato."
"Bye, Ritsuko. See you then."
"Good, now that that's settled. Pen-Pen, come over here." Now where did that penguin go to now?
The poor warm water penguin stared at his beer-and-shelter provider with a strange look on his face. "Waarrk?" (Translation: Did you say . . . cards?)
That evening, around 8:00 at Misato's apartment
"Hi, Ritsuko, I'm glad you're here. I need you to look at Pen-Pen for me. He's wearing a visor, smoking a cigar, and shuffling like crazy." I said at the first person at the door.
"Well, is he at least smoking Havana?" said the voice at the door.
"Huh, who's at the door?"
"I'm hurt, Captain Katsuragi, that you'd forget me, Shigeru."
"Call me Misato when we're not at work. Why are you here, Shigeru?"
"I was invited to come here for cards and a few drinks. Now, if you'll excuse me . . . Hey, Pen-Pen! Pass me a cigar, would ya, buddy?"
"Warrkk." (Translation: Sure, but don't expect me to go easy on you.)
"So," I said, "you're the person Ritsuko invited, huh?"
"Ritsuko? Hyuga told me about it." Shigeru said.
"So, Ritsuko invited Hyuga, and he told you about it, right?" I asked.
"No, Maya told him, and he told me," he explained.
"Why?"
"Don't ask me; I'm not a mind reader. I just brought the scotch," he said as he headed for the cigar waiting for him.
When Hyuga arrived later, he confirmed what Shigeru said. He didn't know who told Maya, so I'd have to ask her when she arrived.
The apartment, 8:30
"Hi, everybody! I brought the pretzels and dip." Maya said in a very cheerful voice.
"Maya? Did Ritsuko invite you over?" I asked her.
"Why, yes, she did. She also said I could invite a friend or two, so I asked Hyuga."
As Maya sat down next to Pen-Pen, I heard a doorbell ring. I didn't even know that doorbell worked. Well, I'd better answer it. It might be Ritsuko.
"Well, well. I've never known you to be late for anything, Ritsuko. So, tell me, who was it?" I teased.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Misato. I just had a difficult time climbing the stairs with three bags of potato chips and four bags of ice," said a rather defensive Dr. Ritsuko Akagi.
"Why didn't you just use the elevator, like the rest of us did?" Makoto asked.
"You mean that deathtrap actually works?"
"Yes, in fact, it runs better than the ones we have at work." Hyuga chimed.
"Well I'll be damned. How'd that happen?" Ritsuko asked.
"It helps that it wasn't slapped together like NERV HQ," I replied.
"That explains a lot, actually."
"That's enough small talk, Ritsuko. Let's play poker." I said. I had barely noticed the glimmer in Pen-Pen's eyes when I mentioned poker. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on who you were that evening, the others didn't notice it. They were too busy filling the snack bowls and their drinks.
Then we headed for the poker table Pen-Pen mysteriously pulled from out of nowhere. I sat across from my feathery roommate, with Ritsuko and Hyuga on my left and Shigeru and Maya on my right. As Pen-Pen shuffled, we were preparing for the worst. The worst, naturally, was Maya asking how to play. Fortunately, she was a quick study.
Then Pen-Pen said as he dealt the cards, "Wwaarrrk!" (Translation: "Alright, it's five card stud, deuces and jokers are wild. Ante is five yen.") Of course, none of us knew what he was saying. He noticed this and proceeded to write it down. We didn't know he could hold a pencil in his beak and write with it. After we read the note, and after Pen-Pen finished dealing the cards, we began our first game.
We quickly discovered that Pen-Pen was a master at the game, as he won the first two hands, or flippers in his case. We decided that someone else should deal the cards. The decision was reached due to the fact that he had to write a note every time he called the game. After that, we had to decide who would deal. Ultimately, I ended up being the dealer.
The rest of the night went well, everyone won at least one game. Maya surprised us all when she won four hands in a row. However, that couldn't stop Pen-Pen and myself from winning most of their money. The night ended when we ran out of snacks and booze.
Pen-Pen and I thanked our guests for a good time as they started their journey home. I was about to close the door and go to bed, when I heard everyone say, "We'll come back next month, so be prepared."
"What do you guys mean?"
Ritsuko responded, "We had fun, so we'll be back again. Besides, we have to win our money back from you and your penguin." Then they left.
"What have I started?"
**************************************
To Be Continued
###########
Next chapter: Shinji begins living with Misato, makes snacks for the poker night, and learns the game. How well will he do? Will Ritsuko and the bridge bunnies get their money back? What will Pen-Pen do with his share of the money? Find out next time!
