Chapter 28 – High Risks for High Rewards
The lawless archipelago of Bilgewater was a port city that is… fascinating to say the least. Governance and regulations were nowhere to be seen, and only one unwritten rule persisted above all others: anything goes.
Just a single silver coin could get you so much in Bilgewater, or so little – depending on where you go and who you ask from. The city was drenched in a diverse community of people from different backgrounds. This included, but was not limited to, unrestrained docks gangs, practitioners of fishing and harpooning, cunning tradesman, frivolous gamblers, meticulous carpenters, and so much more: including iconic figures of both folklore and real tales.
Bilgewater was often associated with new beginnings and people putting their past behind them. Grudges were easily made, but no thoughts were given on your past. It's rather ironic that many immigrants in Bilgewater sailed there to escape their debt, only to find that the less domineering individuals always found themselves in the nets of those asking for their loans returned. Still though, if you could put up with the salty sea and the money-lined snakes that patrolled the streets, Bilgewater thrived in opportunities to live contently and bathe in money. It was just a matter of capitalising on them, and making friends wherever you could.
The last thing he remembered clearly was the sensation of flying through the air at a speed so fast that nothing in sight correlated to any match in his brain. The impact of him hitting the water knocked the daylight out of him. Time went by as he floated in the sea like a lifeless corpse. Seeing dead bodies in the waters of Bilgewater was nothing out of the ordinary, but it was his pretentiously white coat that caught someone's eye.
'Hey, pal, are you awake?'
Roman Torchwick murmured as he felt something prod him on his stomach. He opened his eyes. 'Ugh.' They were strung by the salt in the air. 'W-wait, what's going on?' He could feel the water surrounding him and the heaviness of his clothes.
'Here, grab hold of this.'
He looked to his left and saw a wooden rowing boat with a stockpile of fish in the back. A man with greying, frizzy hair was holding out an oar.
Torchwick grabbed it and the man pulled the oar hard, inelegantly bringing Torckwick into the boat. He sat down on the wooden plank closest to the front of the boat.
'Dropped y'ur hat and cane as well.' said the man. 'Let me get'em for ya.' He paddled the boat gently towards Torchwick's accessories and secured them with the oar. 'There ya go.'
'Umm, thanks.' Torchwick replied, still looking like he was half-asleep. Without even thinking about it, he put his bowler hat on his head. A small splash of water ran down his hair and face and he spat in disgust.
The man chuckled. 'Unfortunate, ey?' he said. 'You're not really hurt or anything, are ya?'
'A few aches here and there, and the suit is ruined, but I think that I'm alright, everything considered.' Torchwick replied.
'Ya don't look nor sound like you're from here. D'ya get thrown overboard on your journey here?'
'What do you mean by that?' Torchwick asked.
'It's just that that folks here in Bilgewater never speak so posh, or wear a fancy getup like yours. I assumed that you're from Piltover.'
Torchwick cleared his throat. 'Ehem, please forgive me, but er… I have no idea what you're talking about, quite frankly.'
'Huh? That's strange, said the man, puzzled. 'Where d'ya come from then?'
'I, uhh…' Torchwick faltered. Subliminally, Emerald's voice was whispering to him in the back of his mind.
"she confirmed that it was she who brought the moon to our own, and has also merged the planet she comes from, with Remnant.""a ginormous sword-wielding beast, with wings.""Aytrox…" "if you asked Salem, Cinder, or anyone else there, they would tell you the exact same thing."
Had the General been heading towards the supposed new world? Torchwick, Emerald and Mercury were not familiar with any of the names that Ironwood has mentioned before they took off. It was certainly a possibility.
'I come from a… far away land.' said Torchwick in a sarcastically merry tone.
'And whereabouts might that be?' the man asked curiously.
'Chances are slim I reckon, but have you ever heard about this exciting place called "Vale"?'
'Don't think I 'av.'
'I didn't think so.'
'Ah, well it don't matter. Your personal life ain't no concern of mine. I just went offshore for a bit a fishing and then I saw you laying in the water. Good thing I got to you before a shark or leviathan could come along and get a free meal out of ya.'
'Oh goodness, hehe. I certainly wouldn't have wanted that.' said Torchwick with his gentlemanly tone. 'I should be thanking you graciously for finding me so fortuitously. So, yeah: thank you.'
'No troubles there, mate. Now, let's get you back to bay. I can't take you home unfortunately, but land is better than just being stranded at sea.'
He turned the boat around and rowed blindly back to shore.
'Well, I would greatly appreciate that. I feel very obliged.'
'Y'er too kind, mate. I shouldn't judge, but I feel like a soft bloke like yerself may find Bilgewater to be a bit rough.'
It was Torchwick's turn to chuckle. 'Hehe, rest assured that I am more than capable of handling myself. Back where I come from, I earned a name for myself as a very influential black hat.'
'Really now?' said the surprised fisherman. 'A sophisticated crime lord. I don't associate those two things together.'
'A true oxymoron, I know.' said Torchwick smugly. 'You wouldn't believe how many towns I got running scared and how much money I got into my pockets.'
'It's a shame that your name won't mean anything here. You may be tough, but I'd still watch your back around here. Your appearance will make you stand out, let's just say.'
'Hmm, I'll be sure to do that.'
The sail back to the harbour was thankfully not too long. Torchwick was beginning to feel cold, sitting in wet clothes.
The fisherman pulled into the wharf and tied a rope around two bollards.
'I reckon that you're gonna need something to get you started.' He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a handful of coins. 'These are Silver Serpents: one of the quote on quote official coins of Bilgewater.' He counted them before handing them to Torchwick. 'Here's fifty of 'em. That should get you a place to stay in an inn for a few nights.'
Torchwick inspected the coins in his hands before pocketing them. 'Gotta say, for someone that hails from a seemingly deplorable area, you sure are rather generous.' he commented.
'Don't expect any more from me, 'cause that's all I can afford to spare. Got a wife and two kids to feed.'
'Oh of course not. You've already done enough for me.' Torchwick stepped out of the boat.
'Before you go, I should give you some financial advice. Prices around here ain't fixed. Some people will ask for meagre crumbs, whilst others will charge an arm and a leg for something. I've given ya Silver Serpents, but five of 'em is about one Gold Kraken. There's a general rule of thumb that I recommend you stick to: the higher up you go, the less likely you are to drown. Bilgewater's communities up on the cliffs are more about social interactivity than the folks who work by the sea. Things are fresh at the bottom, but moving the darn stuff up the cliffs takes time and makes things more expensive. If you're looking for affordable food, I'd say you stay low, and go high to find a room. You'll be away from the docks gangs. Now, I won't say that upper Bilgewater is what you'd call high class, but it's more about relaxing than working.'
'What about earning money in Bilgewater? How do I go about filling my pockets with these precious coins?'
'Plenty of ways, actually. Fishing's a pretty standard profession, since seafood's the staple of Bilgewater's food. Everyone's looking for it all the time. '
'Mhm.'
'If you were feeling more ambitious, you could become a harpooner. These guys specialise in sailing far out to see and killing giant sea monsters and leviathans. They then bring 'em back to the Slaughter Docks, where sea butchers carve 'em up into more manageable chunks. Monsters are more of a delicacy and fetch for a higher price generally for all their body parts.'
'I see.'
'More practical jobs include things like ship making, clothe weaving, and other dull stuff. If you were feeling more daring, you could go see the Bounty Board. Has a list of all the most wanted crooks in Bilgewater with Prices on their head if you bring 'em in either dead or alive. You don't know this place though, so I won't recommend that myself.'
'Anything else?'
'Hmm, now there is something. It's a cultural thing really. Plenty of people get a kick out of gambling their fortunes. You a bet'ing man by any chance?'
'You know, that sounds a lot like me.' said Torchwick. A smirk drew its way onto his face.
'Hopefully you'll be in luck then. If ya go upwards, you'll see a whole bunch of bars and taverns. Me personally, if you want to go that route, I'd recommend you go to Myron's Murderhole at the very top. One of the most popular pubs for both gambling and its really darn good Myron's Dark Rum: the best drink you'll ever 'av. Every ship and her crew has a stash of it below deck. Alcohol may not be your priority right now, but I definitely say you should 'av it at least once. You won't regret it.'
'Maybe if I'm feeling good, I'll give it a shot.' said Torchwick.
'Well, alrighty then. Best you be on your way, and look out for ya-self.'
'Goodbye then.' said Torchwick, tipping his hat to the fisherman.
'Oh, one last thing. Try and avoid get'ing into trouble. It never pays off unless ya have friends to support you, because people in this place have long caught on to the tricks of taking what isn't rightfully theirs.'
Torchwick nodded before turning his back on the fisherman and headed towards the nearest stairway that led up the cliffs of Bilgewater.
The fisherman returned to fish catch and bagged it all. He had been sure to keep his distant between himself and the foreign man. Upon checking his pockets, he breathed a sigh of relief to find everything still there.
Despite being constantly under thick clouds in the evening, Bilgewater was surprisingly well lit from the various lamps and lights shining through all the windows of each individual property.
Torchwick climbed the stairs, passing by multiple people. Some were carrying crates in pairs, whilst others were walking with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Although he wasn't making direct eye contact, he could already sense that people were doing double takes and paying more attention to his passing then they would normally for anyone else. He was used to attention from both his allies and enemies alike, but there was something oddly unnerving about these people. Maybe it was just because he was in an alien world and had little idea of what to do outside of the fisherman's advice.
He also had no idea what had happened to everyone aboard Ironwood's ship. Where were they all? He, Emerald and Mercury had not seen what had happened during their flight. All he remembered was a booming voice thundering at them. For the second time in only a few days, he would have been grateful to see Emerald and Mercury's faces again. 'I can't believe I'm wishing for that…'
Torchwick looked downwards to his right and saw a large stone bridge. It contrasted with the murky waters that surrounded it below as well as the general makeup of Bilgewater's artificial walkways and buildings made out of wood and metal. It shared the same property as the cliffs of being a naturally occurring structure.
Slightly beyond the bridge, the main dockyard could be seen. Massive ships all parked in such a large area, with people on and offloading goods.
Despite the gloomy atmosphere, the view was admittedly rather good.
The climb was high, but he eventually reached the top of the stairs and found himself on a walkway suspended high above the ground. Only a few rickety fences were there to prevent people from falling off; although there was no way that they did an excellent job.
In particular, Torchwick found himself captivated at Bilgewater's intuitive architecture. Olds ships had been converted into buildings. Cannon gun ports had become windows, and even some of the decorative details had been preserved. This kind of nautical technology was archaic in Remnant, but the way that everything had been repurposed was ingenious for sure: Torchwick had to admit that.
It was a lot busier up there, presumably because it was evening. Had it been the day, more people would be working by the sea, as the Fisherman had said.
'Okay, which way do I go now?'
He could either go left or right. Which way though? 'Ehh, I should just ask someone.' He saw a young lady exiting a door closest to his left and approached her. 'Excuse me dearie, you wouldn't happen to know where Myron's Murderhole is, would you?'
'Sure I do. Head left and keep following the path. When ya see the Glowing Lady, Murdehole will be a short walk beyond it. All the major bars are signed, so you won't miss it.'
'Wonderful, thank you very much.' Torchwick smiled.
The lady smiled back as she walked past him. Torchwick stretched his fingers before picking up his cane again and continued moving.
Although there was still some, not as much salt saturated the air up there. Other smells were in the mix instead. Tobacco, candles, food being cooked over fires, and other humanly scents that weren't dominated by the sea. Torchwick inhaled and was pleasantly surprised by it.
As he walked, even more people took notice of him. Proportionately, most were occupied in conversation, but the plenty that were walking towards him were intrigued by his outfit. He was still in wet clothes, but the prospect of a good gamble had him hooked. 'Maybe later I'll ask someone where I can find a clothes shop.'
He kept a close eye on the buildings and ships that he passed. It was a miracle that this world not only spoke the same language, but also used the same writing system. Of course, it was possible that not every place had the same language, and Torchwick did notice a few signs written in something that he could not read, but getting directions so far did not seem very difficult.
'Wait, what's this?' Torchwick stopped. A ship with a sign nailed above the door. "Sailor's Inn". He turned the door handle and stepped inside. The interior of what was once a cargo-hold had been walled off into a narrow foyer and decorated with some framed paintings on the walls, of Bilgewater and some sort of monstrous head with spiralling tentacles. A counter was at the end of the corridor, with a doorway on its left leading further into the ship.
Torchwick strolled towards the receptionist: a middle aged man with thin facial hair and dark eyes.
'How can I help you?' he asked in an anodyne tone.
'Greetings.' said Torchwick. 'I was wondering if you could help me. I've just arrived here in Bilgewater from overseas, and I'm looking for a place to stay. The sign outside says that this is an inn, so I presume you offer rooms?'
'If it's shelter you're after, you've come to the right place.'
'Great then.'
'Rent is a tad pricier than usual. A recent earthquake caused a bit of damage.'
'How much are we talking about then?'
'Usual price is twenty Silver Serpents per night. It's gone up to twenty-seven for the time being. How many nights do you want to stay here for?'
'Dammit…' 'Well… with that I have on me at the moment, I can stay for one night, maximum.' Torchwick pulled out the fifty Silver Serpents and placed them on the counter.
The innkeeper quickly counted them in his head. 'Don't have a lot them, I'm afraid.'
'I know, it's a tragedy.'
'How are you gonna sustain yourself? Why'd you come to Bilgewater, if I may ask?'
'For… job opportunities.' Torchwick lied.
'Loads of those to be found. You looking for any in particular?'
'I'm rather flexible, I would say.'
'Tell you what then, you can pay a night worth, leave the next morning and find an easy job. Fishing's not too much of a hassle. If you get more money, you can come back and rent the room again. The repairs should be done in about a week's time and it'll be back to twenty Serpents as per usual.'
'Well, I guess that can work.'
'I presume that's a "yes" then?'
'It is.'
'Cool.' The innkeeper scooped twenty-seven of Torchwick's Silver Serpents off the counter and placed them inside a wooden chest by his feet. He then opened a separate box on the floor and pulled out an iron key. He then hit a bell on the wall twice. A younger man came from the corridor.
'Take this fella to room nine.' the innkeeper instructed as he handed him the key.
The employee nodded and beckoned his hand at Torchwick.
They walked to the end of the corridor. The door was on the left, with a staircase leading to the second deck, directly opposite. The employee inserted the key into the lock, twisted and pushed the door open. It was nothing special. A roughly cubic room with an open gun port at the back, and a low, wooden, four-legged bed pushed against the right side of the room. It had a single pillow and a grey blanket. The only other paraphernalia was a plain wooden desk and chair on the left side of the room, and a candle in a metal bracket straight above the desk.
'All rooms at twenty seven are the same.' said the employee. 'It's bare, but it'll do, right?'
'Yes, it will suffice nicely.' said Torchwick, suitably underwhelmed. He wasn't sure what to have expected, but he had envisioned something a smidge cosier.
'Good to hear. You can do what you want now, just remember to hand in the key back at ten thirty in the morning. Days and nights are longer right now, so you have an extra few hours in bed.'
'Will do.'
The employee exited the room and closed the door behind him.
Torchwick was not going to stay in his room though. He was still wet, but his desire to find Myron's Murderhole carried him forward. He strode out of the inn and turned left, continuing on his search for the bar. He made his way around a curvature in the walkway that went around a ship on the rounded side of a cliff; once again he got another spectacular view of the open sea and the docks below.
This area was particularly lively. If it was anywhere, it was going to be nearby. Sure enough, he found The Glowing Lady. It had a very wide opening and he peered inside. The place was in a mess. Barrels and crates were broken, tables had been flipped over, broken glass and spilt drinks were all scattered all over the floor, and more than a dozen people were unconscious. It looked like a serious bar fight had taken place earlier.
Torchwick examined the mess with his eyes and gave off a whistle of surprise, hoping that Murderhole would not be in such a state.
The lady from earlier said that it would be only a short walk from The Glowing Lady. He was bound to be reaching it soon.
Once again, he scrutinised the signs of the buildings as he walked. There it was, at last. Lit up brightly from the inside: Myron's Murderhole. Like The Glowing Lady, there were no doors and had a wide opening.
Torchwick briefly caught the gaze of two young men. The first had hair over his right eye, a red jacket hanging loosely over his left shoulder and a cutlass by his side. The second had blue hair and goggles on his forehead, with a red jacket over a white shirt. However he paid only a second's worth of attention to their slightly out-of-place appearance. He walked into the bar and observed the setting. Mostly men, but a few women as well. Almost every table had two or more people sitting at them. Everyone was talking and in conversation, with over half of them having a drink to accompany their social evening.
He wasn't sure where to start or who to approach, so he marched towards the counter, assuming the bartender would give him some advice.
'Hey, Malcolm, look at that guy over there.' said a man, sitting at the table in the top right corner of the bar as he lightly elbowed the man sitting next to him.
Malcolm looked in the direction that his friend had indicated. His eyes instantly landed squarely on Roman Torchwick's flamboyant attire. 'What about him?' he asked.
'Don't he look interesting, like he's got a lot of stuff to spare?'
'S'pose so.' said Malcom. 'But he certainly don't look like he's from these parts.'
'Exactly. He's charming and got fancy pants on.'
'So what are you thinking then?'
'We get his attention. What else?'
Torchwick folded his arms on the counter. A young bartender came to meet him. 'Evening Sir, what can I get ya?' he said.
'I'm not really after a drink right now. I've come to Bilgewater from overseas and I'm interesting in taking a few bets with some people, getting some good winnings, you know? Is there anywhere here where I can play a few games, perhaps?'
'Ahh, well there ain't no designated spot in this here pub to gamble, but if you ask around, you'll probably find someone who'll be willing to play with ya. That's usually how it works, anyway.'
'Many thanks.' said Torchwick. He picked up his cane and slowly turn his head around the room to see if anyone took his notice.
From one corner to the othe-
It was obvious. Far, far too obvious. He had not yet made eye contact with them, but he could see that their eyes were fixated on him, and that they wore wide grins on their faces. He walked forward and then backwards. He was right: they followed his every move.
Torchwick moved slowly towards them, but looked up at the ceiling as he went. It was only once he reached them did he then look at both of them squarely in the eyes. He put on a selfassured smile, attempting to exert confidence in front of these strangers. 'Can I help you, gentlemen?' he asked.
'I believe you can.' said the first of the two men. His grin widened even further. His dark hair was long but was combed well, and his beard and goatee were neatly trimmed. He wore a long black jacket with red stitching on the inside and a bright waistcoat underneath. He also wore a rather large hat on his head, with an Ace of Spades card tucked into the band around the base of the head. Most hypnotic of all though was the red playing card that he twirled and weaved between his fingers in his right hand. 'Mind if we ask for a moment of your time?'
'I'm in no particular hurry, so no, I don't mind.' said Torchwick.
'Then please, pull up a chair, and sit down.'
There were two chairs that he could pick from. He moved one out of the way and sat himself down in a position so that he could look at both of them at the same time.
'Care for a cigar?' the second man offered, pulling out both a cigar and a lighter from his pocket.
'If you're offering it, then sure thing. Why not?' He took the cigar and placed it in his mouth, allowing for the man to light it for him. Both the smell of the tobacco and the taste in his mouth was particularly strong.
'Never had one before?' the second man asked.
'I *cough, cough* have. Just a bit more pungent than what I'm used to.' Torchwick replied, pulling out his own, wet lighter from his jacket and showed it to the two strangers. He opened it and emptied the water onto the floor. 'Pardon me. Had a small hiccup earlier and fell into the water on my way here.
He nodded. The man had a cigar of his own in his mouth. Unlike his friend, his hair was matted and untidy, with a messy beard and moustache, and he wore a filthy red cloak that was torn at the bottom. 'Cigars and tobacco here in Bilgewater are usually stronger than other places.' he said. 'I presume you're not from here.'
'You'd be right in saying that, yes.'
'Interesting, very interesting indeed.' said the man with the playing cards. 'Normally in Bilgewater, nobody gives two wharf rats about who you are and where you came from. But you… you on the other hand stood out to me.'
'Did I really? I'm touched.' said Torchwick immodestly.
'Of course you did. Never before have I seen anyone in this city walk with a bowler hat and a white coat. The way you speak as well. It's just unheard of. So, if you don't mind me asking, what's your name, and where do you come from?'
'You're that interesting in me, are you?
The two men nodded.
'Let's start with the name then. You can call me Torchwick. Roman Torchwick.'
'Roman Torchwick, hey? Cool name, that's for sure.' said the man with the cigar.
'And how about you two fine men. What names do you go by?'
'The name's Graves. Malcolm Graves.'
'And they call me Tobias.' said the card wielding man.
'Malcolm and Tobias. A pleasure to meet you.' said Torchwick, offering his hand to them. They both took it with firm grips.
'And what about your travels? Where is home for you?' Tobias asked.
'Someone asked me the same question earlier when I arrived. You've probably never heard of it.'
'Try us.' said Graves.
'Do you know of a place called "Vale"?'
'Don't ring a bell from the top of my head. You know it, Tobias?'
'Nope.'
'It's very, far away.' said Torchwick.
'What brings you to Bilgewater then, Roman? Why travel so far to here in particular?' Tobias asked.
'Job opportunities. Employment in Vale is a bit haywire at the moment. If I am not being deceived, Bilgewater houses a whole load of ways to make a living.'
'Depends where you go looking, but yeah, you'd be right.' said Graves. 'You sure that Bilgewater's your kind'a place though? Ya gotta enjoy the lifestyle and the folks as much as your job and the money.'
'I do have my doubts... but I'm going to remain as optimistic as possible. Besides, I can't help but notice how Tobias here is having an awful lot of fun fiddling with that there playing card.'
Tobias eyed his card, and then smiled at Torchwick.
'I would consider myself to be a betting man.' Torchwick continued. 'So, I'm guessing that you are too?'
Tobias and Graves exchanged gleeful smiles.
'Oh, he's going there.' said Tobias.
'He sure is.' said Graves.
'Yes, I am.' Tobias confirmed.
'Fancy a game then?' Torchwick offered.
'Roman, my friend, there's never a moment when I'm not up for a game. It's one of Bilgewater's greatest pastimes.'
'Sounds perfect to me.'
'What d'ya wanna play then?' Tobias asked as he brought out a deck of cards from his jacket. The design on the backs were of a dark green with a curved serpent down the centre, lengthwise. 'What kinda games do you play in Vale?'
'Hmm, cultural differences…' They spoke the same language, and somehow used the same playing cards, but the odds of them playing the exact same games was especially low. 'How about you give me a list of card games that you play? Ones that are commonplace in Bilgewater.'
'Let's seen then… I would've said Bilgewater hold 'em, but Poker's better played with four or more people. Same with Captains and Sailors: a great game but there needs to be more of us. Actually, a better question would be, how much money are you willing to risk?' asked Tobias.
'Not a lot at the moment, sadly. The currency that I use in Vale obviously doesn't have any value here, so I only got fifty Silver Serpents from a fisherman after a did a favour for him. I already spent twenty-seven just to get a room at Sailor's Inn.'
'No troubles.' said Tobias. How about we let the first game be a warmup? No money and no stakes? What do ya say?'
Torchwick nodded and smiled. 'I'll be on board with that.'
'Okay then, let's start with something simple. Have you ever played Go Fish?'
'The one where you have to create as many Four-of-a-Kinds as possible?'
'Exactly.'
'Then yes, I have.' said Torchwick.
Graves made some space between himself and Tobias by moving his chair to the right.
Tobias removed the Jokers and put them back in his jacket before he split the deck into two and shuffled them in his hands. It was mesmerising how smoothly the cards reorganised themselves like magic. He then placed five cards in front of Torchwick, himself and Graves, and put the deck in the middle.
They all picked up their cards and help them up to their faces.
'Who wants to start first?' Graves asked.
'How about we let our guest start first? You good with that, Roman?'
'Perfectly fine with me.' he said. Torchwick organised his cards from lowest to highest. Already his hand was not particularly good. Four of Diamonds, Five of Spades, Six of Hearts, Seven of Clubs and King of Diamonds. 'Not even a single pair… This is going to be interesting.' He had no basis for asking anyone for any value in particular, so anything would do. 'Malcolm, do you have any… Sixes?'
'I do.' he said and handed two cards over to Torchwick. The Six of Clubs and Spades.
'Hehe, what a strike.' 'Tobias, do you have a six you could lend me?'
'Sorry pal, I ain't got any. Go fish.' Tobias smiled.
Torchwick nodded and picked up the top card of the centre deck. Two of Spades.
Graves was clockwise of Torchwick, so it was his turn. 'Hmm.' He adjusted the cigar in his mouth as he inspected his card and contemplated his turn.
'Tobias, you got any Tens?' he asked after seven seconds.
'Don't got Tens I'm afraid, hotshot. Go fish.'
Graves shook his head and picked up a card from the pile.
Tobias winked at him. 'Roman, ya got any Sevens?'
Torchwick made sure to keep a straight face as he surrendered his Seven of Clubs.
'Cheers. Malcolm, you got Sevens as well?
Graves handed over a card. 'I can tell you're already enjoying yourself.' he said.
'Getting cards in Go Fish is always fun.' Tobias smirked. 'How about Threes, Malcolm? Got any Threes in your hand?'
Graves scoffed as he handed over another card to Tobias.
'Roman, you got Threes for me?'
'Sorry Tobias, time for you to Go Fish.'
He picked up a card from the pile and placed it in his hand. The first cycle was over.
'It's not worth asking to see if they've fished for anymore Sixes…' 'Tobias, have you got any Fives?'
'Go Fish, Roman.'
'Ten of Hearts. Malcolm asked for a ten from Tobias. I wonder how many he's got.'
'Roman, got any Jacks?' Graves inquired.
'Nope, Go Fish.'
Tobias rubbed his cards together. 'Got any Queens, Roman?'
'Try and Go Fishing for one.'
Tobias chuckled at the joke as he picked up another card.
'My dear friend Malcolm, have you got any Tens on your possession?' Torchwick asked.
'Sure do…' He only had one. Ten of Diamonds.
'Better than nothing. I'll assume that Tobias still doesn't have one. So maybe two will get me something.' 'So Malcolm, how about the number two?'
'Robbing me of all my cards.' said Graves as he gave Torchwick his Two of Clubs.
'Any Twos for me, Tobias?' said Torchwick.
'Can't provide. Go Fish, Roman.'
'Five of Hearts. Dammit, so many pairs, but no four-of-a-kinds. I've just got to keep tabs on what they're asking for.'
'Got any Jacks, Tobias?' said Graves, spinning his one and only card in his hand.'
'Nah, go Fish, partner.'
Torchwick noticed as he picked up the card that Graves let off a brief smile.
Tobias looked at Torchwick in the eye. 'Nines, by any chance?'
Torchwick shook his head. 'Go Fish.'
It had come down to the last three cards on the pile.
Torchwick was in the lead so far, with four Four-of-a-Kinds for: Fours, Sixes, Sevens and Queens. In his hands, he held The Five of Hearts, Spades and Clubs.
Tobias was second, with Four-of-a-Kinds for: Threes, Eights and Nines.
Graves only had two Four-of-a-Kinds for: Tens and Jacks.
It was Torchwick's turns. This could be it. 'Tobias, have you got any Fives?'
'Nope. Go Fish.'
He slowly picked up the card and turned it over. Five of Diamonds. 'Yes!' He slammed down the Fives next to his other Four-of-a-Kinds and rubbed his hands together. He was out.
'Nicely done, Roman.' said Tobias, still wearing the same smile he had had since the beginning of the game.
The game was almost over. Graves made his move. 'Do you have any Aces?' he asked Tobias.
'All yours, my good friend.'
He placed down his four Aces. 'How about Twos?'
'None here. Go Fish.'
Luck of the draw. The last Two. Graves was out.
Tobias picked up the last card to form Four Kings.
Torchwick stretched his fingers triumphantly. He had five points, Tobias and Graves only had four. 'Haha, that felt good.' he said cockily.
'Shame that there's no money then.' said Tobias.
'True, but now that I'm warmed up, I'm ready to make some money.'
'I really do like your confidence, I must say. Makes things more exciting.'
'Shall we up the ante then with some money?' Torchwick suggested.
'All or nothing?' said Tobias.
'Why not?'
'You don't have a lot of money on your person though. That's the thing.' said Graves. 'But I'll make you a deal. I'll let this be a duel between you two. I'll lend you an extra two Gold Krakens and thirty-three Silver Serpents to bring up your number to seventy bits in total. Tobias will put it seventy bits too. If you win, you walk away with one hundred and forty bits. If you lose, you're at zero. Does that sound good?'
'It most certainly does.'
Tobias and Graves nodded at each other.
'Very well.' said Tobias. He pulled out a sachet from his coat and emptied a bunch of Silver Serpents and a few Golden Krakens onto the table. He counted out seventy pieces and returned the rest of it to his jacket.
Graves also pulled out a bag of money and put forty-seven pieces on top of Roman's twenty-three pieces.
'Have you ever played Rummy before?' Tobias asked Torchwick.
'Remind me, is that the one where you have to get rid of all your cards into melds?'
'You know that one too, hey? It's good playing with someone who's experienced. Fair games are more fun than one-sided ones.'
'Sometimes I get a kick from picking on those who are at a disadvantage, but I know what you mean. Challenges are usually more exciting.'
Tobias collected all the cards from the previous game and reshuffled them, using the same eye-catching technique as last time. He then distributed ten cards to Roman before placing ten in front of himself. 'I'm gonna begin this time, because you started for the first game. That alright with you?'
'Doesn't bother me in the slightest.'
'Lookin' good then.' said Tobias. His smirk was still there, but it had weakened slightly. He started by picking up the first card on the deck. He nodded, and instantly placed down two melds: three Threes of Diamonds, Spades and Hearts, and three Sixes of Diamonds, Spades and Clubs. He finished the round by discarding Ten of Hearts. Already he was down to four cards.
Torchwick managed to hide his surprise, but he could tell that Tobias knew that he was startled. He picked the Ten of Hearts and analysed his cards. 'Woah, actually I can put a lot of cards down myself.' he added his Three of Clubs to Tobias' meld of Threes, placed down a meld of three Tens of Clubs, Hearts of Diamonds and finished by placing down another meld of consecutive Spades: Jack, Queen and King before discarding Seven of Diamonds. Three cards left: Aces of Spades, Four of Spades and Queen of Diamonds. 'Wow, this game is going really quickly. I should've asked for it to be a best of three.'
Tobias picked up a card but did not place or add to a Meld and instead ended his turn by simply discarding a card: the Queen of Hearts.
'Well, I guess if I win this game, I would be better of me to just take the money and not risk losing it again.' Torchwick picked up the discarded Queen of Hearts. One Queen was already in a meld, but if he could get the Queen of Clubs, he could place down three Queens in a meld and discard the remaining card. His heart was pounding. It had been a while since he had played cards with real money, and the familiar rush of blood pumping through his body made everything feel more intense. 'Do I get rid of the Four of Spades, or Ace of Spades.' he contemplated. There was no logical way of deciding. He might as well flip a coin. 'I'll get rid of… Four of Spades. The Ace is often cited as a lucky Card.'
Tobias picked up a fresh card. The full size of his smirk returned. The look on his face was surprisingly hard to read. One would have thought that constant smiling would be indicative of something, but Torchwick was not so sure with someone as sly as Tobias.
He returned a Nine of Clubs to the discard pile.
Torchwick pleaded that he would get the Queen of Clubs. 'Please, please…' Jack of Diamonds… 'Damn. Oh well. Maybe next time.' He returned the Jack of Diamonds.
Tobias picked up the next fresh card, and sighed, giving Torchwick a feigned look of sympathy. He placed Six of Hearts onto the meld of Sixes, Ten of Spades onto the meld of Tens, a new meld of Aces: the Ace of Hearts, Diamonds and Spades, and placed Four of Clubs onto the Discard Pile. All his cards were gone.
Torchwick dropped his three cards and stared at Tobias' empty hands. 'W-what? H-how...?'
'It's just all in the cards, Roman. Sorry to say that they just weren't on your side this game.'
'Grr…' Torchwick grunted. He watched miserably as Tobias wrapped his arms around his precious few coins and brought them across the table into his sachet.
'Good game though.' said Tobias, holding out his hand towards Torchwick.
'Yeah. A bet's a bet after all.' Torchwick took it and they shook hands. He was becoming increasingly more exasperated by the look on their faces – just grinning nonstop. He looked downwards at the cards, which were still on the table, to avoid making too much more eye contact with th- 'Hand on a minute…' Torchwick looked at his three cards he had not managed to get rid of:
A Queen of Diamonds, Queen of Hearts and an Ace of Spades.
He then looked at the meld of Aces that Tobias had put down:
An Ace of Hearts, Ace of Diamonds and Ace of… Spades…
'You cheated…' Torchwick muttered.
'Excuse me?' said Tobias.
'You cheated.' said Torchwick a little louder.
'What do you mean?'
'You cheated! Look!' Torchwick stood up. 'See this?! An Ace of Spades was in my hand! There's also an Ace of Spades in this meld right here! Explain to me why there are two of the same card!'
'Roman, my friend, please calm down. I won this game fair and square. We're grownups here. You should know better than to throw a tantrum at a loss.' said Tobias.
'Don't play innocent with me!' Torchwick yelled. You cheated! Give me my money back! Or I swear I'll r-'
He held his hands up in the air and stepped back, laughing nervously.
'I'd watch your tongue if I were you…' said Graves menacingly, pointing a large shotgun with two barrels straight at Torchwick's head. 'We gave you our time for some nice card games, and I even gave you money freely. You have some nerve to shout at my good friend here and falsely accuse him of playing dirty.'
'Hehe, you're right, you're right.' said Torchwick quickly. 'I was just… overreacting. Please beg my pardon. I often lose my temper when things don't quite go my way.'
Graves stood up. 'Seems like you need to learn how to look at defeat in the face.' He moved towards Torchwick, forcing him backwards with the barrel of the gun. The whole of the pub's attention was on them. 'Now, you're gonna leave this here bar, and you're not gonna show your face around here again for the rest of the night. You come back here tomorrow at this time, with at least thirty Silver Serpents, and you're gonna apologise for your bad manners... Have I made myself clear, Roman?'
'Yes, Malcolm. You could not be clearer if you tried. Hehe…'
'I'm glad to hear it. Now get out of our sight.'
Torchwick quickly retrieved his cane from under the table before making a mad dash to the outside of the pub. He stumbled into a table along the way, occupied by the same oddly dressed boys who were outside when he first went in.
Within seconds, he was outside and ran right, in the complete opposite direction of the Inn.
Tobias took the Ace of Spades from his meld and placed it back in the band on his hat.
'Can't believe it took him that long to realise.' Graves laughed.
'They never do. Not when they're so focused on winning and money's on the line.'
He went until he was out of breath. He had taken a flight of stairs off the upper walkways of Bilgewater, down to the floor again and ended up in a more rural area, with tall grass next to a long, wide river, and trees creating a dark canopy overhead.
Interestingly, the river was lit up by a few light blue lanterns hanging from wooden posts, and a canoe boat was parked next to one, against the bank. Torchwick gazed at the river and the trees it was rather pretty looking, even in the dark. It was probably the lanterns that gave it an aesthetically pretty look.
*Squelch*
Torchwick turned around. It was dark, but he couldn't see anything behind him. He shook his head and returned his attention to the river. He did not know where the river led, and it was probably not worth finding out, if it were not for a melodious sound that soothed his ears. It sounded like a slow playing guitar, with a bit of humming to go along with it. It almost made him forget about what had just happened in Murderhole.
Walking into an unknown forest late in the evening was not a good idea. Torchwick himself knew it, but curiosity to find out what the sound was took over. He followed the river and the sound, wondering deeper into an unknown world of mystery.
The tune became louder, but only gradually.
*Squelch*
There was no mistaking that sound of the mud was coming from behind him, but the tune kept him moving forward. As he went further in, the tune was louder than the squelches behind him. It was like he was directly next the to the composer, and then he saw it, sitting on the other side of the river.
A gigantic creature that was indescribably odd, with fishy, frog-like skin, piercing yellow eyes, and a mouth so large that it could swallow people whole, yet it wore a trench coat around its enormous body, and a top hat with a red ribbon around it, which was far better suited for a human's head. The beast held its own long tongue out of its mouth with its left hand and was flicking it with the fingers of its right hand – like a string instrument.
'What the?!' Torchwick cried out in shock, unsure of what do.
The creature was looking at him with a devilish stare, but the tune was so alluring. After five seconds of Torchwick standing still, it let go of its tongue, and it flew back into its mouth.
'Please, excuse my song.' it suddenly said. Its voice was incredibly deep. 'The tune's purpose was your attention, for I saw you on the run with troubles, and I can offer absolutions.'
Torchwick edged closer to the river. 'What… are you talking about?' he asked tentatively.
'Hehe, boy, you are as open as a door without a lock. You look dishevelled and disconcerted, like you're carrying a burden on your back that's bigger than a full moon. Do you wish to be emancipated from your tribulations?'
'Well, I gotta say that I don't exactly know who or what you are. What services can you provide to me?'
'Anything you crave, boy. Anything that your heart desires.'
'Anything at all, you say. Hmm. Can you get me money then?'
'Money is an indispensable component of a happy life, yet so many people owe it due and only the finest of folk have enough to spare.'
The creature stepped into the river and waded towards Torchwick.
'Woah, not so close!' said Torchwick, who was naturally intimidated by its overbearing size.
'Stay unperturbed, my child.' said the beast. It opened its trench coat and tossed a small bag towards Torchwick.
He moved out of the way and only picked it up dubiously with his thumb and forefinger. 'Ugh…'
'No reason to be so nervous around an innocuous bag of coins.' the beast laughed. 'The very contents of that bag right there are thirty Silver Serpents.'
'Great. Thanks.' said Torchwick. What was he supposed to say in front of this giant, loquacious frog?
'However, the offer does not end there.' the creature continued. 'I'm sure you can tell. You could walk away with just a measly bag of coins, but why not stay and be rewarded with a whole sack of money instead?'
'Where are you going with this?'
'Allow me to elaborate. You see, I've got voracity, that ain't easily sated, but those proud men of the city never have a table reserved for yours truly. So, I need good natured, altruistic men like yourself to let me in.'
'And what would that involve exactly?'
'The price? It's a minuscule thing. Bring me a fish – any kinda fish – and give it to me. Do that, and I'll give you a bag of forty Silver Serpents, the next time you come and see me. All bargains I offer are as easy to fulfil as finding and catching a snail on a rainy day.'
Torchwick thought about it. The deal seemed too good to be true. How could he trust a monster, of all things, that he had only just met?
Did it really matter though? He now had exactly enough money to give to Tobias and Graves, and would be content with just that, but the creature's reasoning was true. If he could adhere to his end of the bargain, he could get even more money. 'Ehh, why not? This offer's all I've got going for me at the moment.' 'Alright, you've got yourself a deal.' said Torchwick.
The creature chuckled. 'Now those are words I like to hear.' he said. 'Farewell, young man, and remember, if you're ever in any trouble, you're safe in my abode.'
'Err, sure. I got it.'
'Hehe, the world's one big river, and I'm its king. Ain't no place I ain't been. Ain't no place I can't go again. If troubles encroach, call upon the epithet of Tahm Kench, the River King.' With his mouth finally shut, he dove into the river and swam out to who knows where.
Torchwick turned his back on the river and made his way back to Bilgewater. He was hungry, tired and still wet.
It began to rain.
Amid the nearby trees, someone let out a girly shriek.
Credit to 'brave kid' for the idea of Roman Torchwick gambling with Twisted Fate.
